The laddu is synonymous with Tirumala and has a great demand among the pilgrim fraternity. Despite several measures, the menace of black marketing sale continues in one form or the other. Pilgrims are rather forced to burn their pockets to buy more laddus.
Each pilgrim is provided with four laddus while those reaching the town on foot can have one extra free of cost.
To contain the menace, the TTD has also introduced the facility of obtaining the required number at the time of booking of online darshan tickets. Many sales counters which were till recently under the fold of the local banks have been handed over to Srivari seva volunteers.
The laddus are sold at different prices. While those with ₹300/- tickets are provided with two at ₹25 each in addition to two free laddus, those coming in the dharma darshanam and divya darshanam queues are provided with two at a subsidised cost of ₹10 each in addition to two at the normal cost. Devotees opting divya darshanam are provided with one laddu free of cost. The TTD employees both working and retired are provided with 10 laddus at a much subsidised price of ₹5 each every month.
Lack of supervision
The disparity in the price of the laddus is believed to be the contributing factor behind the thriving black market in addition to lack of proper supervision at the ticket counters located half-way on both the footpaths where the devotees are provided with the free coupon. A percentage of the tokens, it is alleged, directly lands in the black market.
This apart the unofficial restrictions being imposed on the issuance of additional laddus on recommendation letters to minimise its revenue loss is also believed to have turned as a blessing in disguise to the white collared racketeers. (The TTD at present is incurring a huge loss of over ₹200 crore every year on the production of laddus alone). Several petty traders in Tirupati have also jumped into the illegal business of manufacturing counterfeit laddus. These are sold at the Railway and bus stations.
The menace, if not checked, is sure to sully the image of the prestigious institution.
