Furore over TTD decision on prices of prasadams on referral letters

Why should such letters be entertained at all, ask staff

Staff question the idea of TTD selling the famous Tirumala laddus based on referrals.

The TTD on Thursday found itself caught in the eye of the storm for enhancing the prices of laddus and other prasadams provided on recommendation letters with several employees questioning the propriety behind the ‘hasty’ decision.

TTD JEO KS Srinivasa Raju recently announced that the price of the small and the big laddus and the vadas on referral letters was enhanced to ₹50, ₹200 and ₹100 respectively from ₹25, ₹100 and ₹25 with immediate effect.

While most of the employees felt that the decision would throw the floodgates of the already thriving black market wide open, some questioned the very need behind providing such laddus.

The TTD provides a minimum of four laddus to every pilgrim. A family of minimum four members is guaranteed 16 laddus ruling out the necessity for such letters. Instead of abolishing the very concept of the letters, the decision to enhance the prices tantamounts to legalising the corrupt practice, they said.

The increase in the prices may initially result in a ‘dip’ in the black marketing but will emerge as a flourishing business soon, some say.

To substantiate their stance, they cited the sale of the ‘Vastralankara seva’ ticket at a mind blowing (minimum) price of ₹1 lakh in the black market as against the normal ₹50,000 which was increased from the actual price ₹12,500 to contain its sales in the black market.

They also expressed serious doubts over the claim that the move would help the management compensate the loss due to the sale of subsidised laddu put around ₹220 crore annually. Even if 10,000 laddus are provided on the recommendation letters every day, the income thus earned in a year is minuscule compared to the massive loss.

Senior officials who spoke to The Hindu on the condition of anonymity felt that it would have been wise on the part of the management had it widely publicised the facts relating to the loss and then marketed the laddus at the manufacturing cost (put at ₹37 each). After all, no devotee will mind spending a little more for the temple revered by millions across the globe.