சித்திரையில் புனர்பூசம் : Swami Mudaliyandan Sarrumurai 2026

 

Swami Mudaliyandan Sarrumurai 2026 ~ சித்திரையில் புனர்பூசம் 

 

Chennai Metro has changed the lives of people.  The Orange Line or Line 4 spans  26 kilometers,  aiming to Poonamallee Bypass to Lighthouse, offering improved intra-city connectivity. It will feature 28 stations, with 10 underground and 18 elevated, enhancing Chennai's metro network and providing a convenient travel option.    The termini - Poonamallee Bypass metro station would make those at Poonamallee and beyond to come to city with ease.  A 5.5 km elevated section from Porur to Vadapalani (Powerhouse) has undergone trial runs as of Jan 2026, featuring a double-decker structure. 

The Outer Ring Road, officially State Highway 234 (SH 234), is a major transport corridor along the periphery of Chennai Metropolitan area. It is 62 km long road connecting GST Road at Perungalathur, GST Road at Vandalur, NH 48 (GWT Road) at Nazarethpettai, NH 716 (CTH Road) at Pattabiram to NH 16 (GNT Road) at Vijayanaallur and to TPP road at Minjur.  The Segment I extends from GST Road (Vandalur) to NH48 (Nazarethpettai) covering a distance of 19.7 km.  

Poonamallee is a state assembly constituency in Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu.  The seat is reserved for candidates from the Scheduled Castes. It comprises portions of Poonamallee and Thiruvallur taluks  - Pettai, the subject matter of this post too comes under this constituency.

Sure you have travelled many a times on this road by-passing the town of Poonamallee, situated at a distance of 23 kilometres from Fort St George and 17 kilometres from Sriperumbudur on the Chennai-Bangalore highway.  The name "Poonamallee" is derived from "Poovirunthavalli", meaning "the place where flowers are cultivated". Had posted earlier  about the avathara sthalam of Thirukachi Nambigal here… nearer is another place of significance as the birth place of Acaryar -which is not known to many.  This place many may know as Pettai [there are some references as Nazarathpettai – changed for obvious reasons now !]  

In our Srivaishanava Sampradayam, Pontiffs carry tridandam signifying our philosophy - chit, achit and easwara.  Today (23^rd April 2026- the Election day)  ~ is  a day of significance- Chithirayil Punarpusam  associated with Aandan considered as Trithandam of Swami Ramanujar.     

padhuke yathi rajasya kathayanthi yadhakh yaya |

thasya daasarathe: paadav Sirasa dhaarayaam yaham ||  

Meaning: Yathiraja paduka (Swami Ramanujar’s Lotus feet) is what he is known as. Hence we pay our respect to Daasarathi’s (Mudaliandan) Lotus feet.  

Yesterday it   was the grand celebration of  ~ ‘Swami Ramanujar’ -  sarrumurai.  On His Millennium year (2017), there was the spectacle at Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam – grand purappadu of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman, Emperumanaar and Mudaliandan – yes, because Chithirayil Thiruvadhirai and Punarpusam fell on the same day.  So there was purappadu of Acharyar, his foremost disciple and Sri Parthasarathi Perumal.  In general, Sri Mudaliandan sarrumurai would fall on the day next to that of Udayavar Sarrumurai.  

எம்பெருமானார் வைபவத்திலே திருக்கோட்டியூர் முக்கிய இடம் வகிக்கிறது.  உடையவர் 18 தடவை சென்று திருக்கோஷ்டியூர் நம்பி இடத்தில் உபதேசம் பெறுகிறார்.    அடியேனுக்கு  பெரிய மந்த்ரார்த்தம் அருள வேணும் என பணிந்து நிற்க, உம்மை மட்டுமன்றோ வரச்சொன்னோம் இவர்களையும் அழைத்து வருவது என்ன ? என திருக்கோட்டியூர் நம்பிகள் வினவ, இராமானுஜர் தண்டும் பவித்திரத்தினுடன் வந்துள்ளதாக செப்புகிறார்.  (முதலியாண்டான் த்ரிதண்டம்; கூரத்தாழ்வான் பவித்திரம்).  நம்பியிடம்  ரஹஸ்ய த்ரயத்தினுடைய (திருமந்த்ரம், த்வயம், சரமஸ்லோகம்)  அர்த்த விசேஷங்களைக் கற்ற  நம் உடையவர் மேலும் சிறப்பு மிக்க செயலைச் செய்தார்.  ஸ்ரீ ராமானுஜர் தன் நலம் கருதாமல், சரம ஸ்லோகத்தினுடைய அர்த்த விசேஷத்தை எந்த ஒரு நிபந்தனையும் இல்லாமல் ஆசையுடையோர்க்கெல்லாம் கூறியதால் திருக்கோஷ்டியூர் நம்பி அவருக்கு “எம்பெருமானார்” என்ற திருநாமத்தைச் சூட்டினார்.  

இன்று 23.4.2026   சித்திரையில் புனர்பூசம் - எம்பெருமானாரின் த்ரிதண்டமாயும் இப்போது அவரது திருவடியாயும் விளங்குகின்ற நம் முதலியாண்டான் ஸ்வாமி திருநக்ஷத்திரம்.  

தாசரதி, எம்பெருமானாரின் (ஸ்ரீராமானுஜர்) ஸஹோதரியின் குமாரராக பச்சைவாரணப் பெருமாள் கோவில் என்னும் ஊரில் அவதரித்தவர்.    எதிராஜரான ஜகத்குரு இவரைத்  திரிதண்டமாக  (முக்கோல்) மதித்திருந்தார்.  இவரோ, ஜகதாசார்யரான சுவாமியின் (ஸ்ரீராமானுஜர் பாதுகைகளாகவே (திருவடி நிலைகள்)  தம்மை நினைத்திருந்தார்.  எம்பெருமானார் ஸன்யாஸ்ரமம் புகும்போது, "நமது முதலியாண்டானைத் தவிர அனைத்தையும் துறந்தோம்" என்று அருளியதாக இவரது புகழ் பேசப்படுகிறது.  இவரது  வரலாறு ஆசார்யரான ஸ்ரீராமானுஜருடைய வாழ்க்கையுடன் பிணைந்தே உள்ளது.   குருபரம்பராப்ரபாவம் தவிர, கோயிலொழுகு, வார்த்தாமாலை முதலிய நூல்களிலும் வாழ்க்கைக் குறிப்புகள் காணக்கிடைக்கின்றன. 

ஸ்வாமி முதலியாண்டான்  உடையவர் திருவடிகளிலே கைங்கர்யத்தைச் செய்து,  வாதூல தேசிக பதம் நிர்வஹித்து ஸ்ரீரங்க ஸ்ரீயை அபிவிருத்தி செய்தவராய்க்கொண்டு 105 திருநக்ஷத்ரம் (கி.பி.1027 - 1132)  உடையவரின் பாதுகாஸ்தானியராக எழுந்தருளியிருந்தார்.   எம்பெருமானுடைய திருவடி ஸ்தானமாக இருந்து அவருக்கு அந்தரங்க கைங்கரியங்களை செய்தமையால் எம்பெருமானுடைய திருவடியை முதலியாண்டான் என்றே அழைப்பது மரபு.  

Chithirai Month (mesha month), day of Punarpusam – a day after the Great Chithirayil Seyya Thiruvathirai of Swami Ramanujar comes the avathara celebrations of Mudaliyandan, Lord Rama's amsam also known as Yathiraja's paduka is our guru Daasarathi (Mudaliandan).  Pettai is the avathara sthalam of Acharyar Mudali Andan, who was so close to Swami Udayavar.     

“Sree Ramanujo Vijayathe–Yathiraja Rajaha”  

( ஸ்ரீராமானுஜோ விஜயதே யதிராஜ ராஜ:) – the concluding lines of ‘Thadi (dhaTee) Panchakam’ – rendered by Swami Mudaliandan, which speaks of the  victory of Swami Ramanuja over other philosophies  and his establishing the Visishtadvaita philosophy that was built by Azhwars and Purvacharyas.  In those golden days when Swami Emperumanar walked on the streets of Thiruvarangam and other Divyadesams – tens of thousands of his disciples and hundreds of Jeeyars followed him hailing “Ramanujo Vijayathe – Yathiraja Rajaha:”

Of those who remained closest to Sri Ramanuja – Sri  Mudaliandan, Sri Koorathazhwan, Sri Embar,  Sri Ananthazhwan, Arulalaperumal Emperumanar, Kidambi Achaan, Thirukurugai Piraan Pillan, Thiruvarangathu Amuthanar and more.  Sri Mudaliandan Swami is reverred as Trithandam and Sri Koorathazhwan as Thiruppavithram for Swami Ramanujar.   Our Acaryar Swami Mudaliandan was born in Prabhava year 1027 in Chithirai punarpoosam. [so we have another year  to celebrate his sahasrabdi !]   at Pachai Varana puram near Poonamallee (now Pettai) – on birth was named as Dasarathi – and he came to be known as  Yathiraja paduka, Nam Vadhoola Desikan (given by Sri Ranganthar), Vaishnav Siro Bushaa, Aandan (given by Swami Ramanujar), Tridandam (given by Swami Ramanujar), Sri Vaishnava dasar (given by Sishya's)  

Understand that at Sriperumpudur, there is no vigraham for Mudaliandan as he stands in the Trithandam and Thiruvadi of Acharyar.  Daasarathi (Mudaliandan) [முதலியாண்டான்]  is  Avathara of the Lord Himself. Lord Rama was so pleased with Adiseshan's service to him as Lakshmana that he wanted to serve him in future Avatharas. As a result, he bestowed the Avathara of Balarama to Adiseshan and himself as Sri Krishna. Still unable to fulfill his desire, Lord Rama took the avatar of Mudaliandan in order to pay his reverence to Swami Ramanuja. When Thirukoshtiyur Nambi asked Swami Ramanuja to come to him to learn the "Rahasya Granthas" with his Pavithram (flag which is tied up on the top of Tridandam) and Tridandam (triple staff) he took with him Koorathazhwaan and Mudaliandan saying that they were his Pavithram and Tridandam. Mudaliandan's impeccable service to his mentor secured for him the status of being Ramanuja's Paduka (lotus feet), Tridandam & also the administrator of the Srirangam Temple.   

He was blessed with son - Kandadai Aandan,  an amsam of Sathrugna at Thiruvarangam.  His Acharyans were  Swami Ramanujar, Mudaliandan and Sri Atkondavalli Jeeyar.  Here are some  photos of  his sarrumurai at Thiruvallikkeni purappadu with Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman.

adiyen Srinivasadhasan.[Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar]

PS :  For a  Srivaishnavaite, Acharyar leads and guides one to ultimate  Sriman Narayana. My Acharyar  is Cholasimhapuram Doddayachaaryar (presently Shri U.Ve. Koil Kanthadai Chandamarutham Kanthadaiyandan  @ Yoga Narasimhan Swami).  Our Acaryar lineage is traced to Swami Mudaliandan, his son Kandadai Andan, his son Thunnu pugazh Kandadai Thozhappar; his son Eeyan Ramanujachar  .. .. ..  Periyappangar Swami – his son Chandamarutham Swami aka Doddayachaar – to Periyappangar Thirumaligai to varthamana swami. 

2. In the State Politics, Bhakthavatsalam is remembered. Minjur Bhakthavatsalam (1897 –  1987) was an Independence activist who served as CM  of Madras State from 2 October 1963 to 6 March 1967. He was the last Congress chief minister of Tamil Nadu. He studied law and practised as an advocate in the Madras High Court. He  was imprisoned during the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement. He was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 and served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Rajaji government and as a minister in the O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar government.  Following the defeat of the Indian National Congress in the 1967 elections, Bhaktavatsalam partially retired from politics.  He was born in Pettai village. 

 

Jai Jagannatha !! - worshiping Lord of Universe at Puri Jagannatham

                          Gangesvara Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva,  an Eastern Ganga monarch who reigned between 1077 CE to 1150 CE was associated with this temple. He ruled  Kalinga region from river Ganga to Godavari. 

The beautiful state of Odisha (Orissa) itself is known as ‘land of Lord Jagannatha’ [the lord of Universe].  The present temple dates back to at least 12^th century – the mysticism associated with the cult of Jagannatha simply over runs the architectural brilliance of the big magnificent temple standing majestically on a raised platform – an engineering marvel.  

Lord Jagannatha temple at Puri in Orissa in eastern coast attracts lakhs of people.  King Indradyumna of Avanti built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri; the present temple was rebuilt from the tenth century onwards, on the site of the pre-existing temples in the compound, but not the main Jagannath temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Many of the temple rituals are based on Oddiyana Tantras which are the refined versions of Mahayana tantras. 

Just like our Kovil Ozhugu, there is Madala  Panji, a chronicle describing the historical events of Odisha Jagannath Temple.     The moolavar idols of Northern India are different than the ones in South India, mostly in white marble.  Puri Jagannath is different – Perumal is made of sacred wood, which are ceremoniously replaced after few years.  The  Navakalevara  ceremony is an intricate set of rituals that accompany the renewal of the wooden statues.  

Puri Jagannatha temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Lakhs of devotees descend here at this holy temple town for this festival.  Inside the huge temple, the presiding deities are : Sri  Jagannath (Lord Krishna), Balabhadra (Balarama)  and the Goddess Subhadra constituting  trinity of deities worshiped at the temple.   Lord  Jagannatha is  the supreme God and the sovereign monarch of the Odishan empire. The Deities are adorned with cotton and silk fabrics, Gold Ornaments studded with precious stones, flowers of different varieties, Tulsi leaves, sandal paste, camphor. These articles are used in the daily and periodical rituals.  

The annual Rath Yatra is celebrated in the month of Ashada [June-July] whence the Presiding deities Lord Jagannatha along with Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra – come out of the main temple for an annual sojourn on decorated chariots, travel to Gundicha temple about two and half miles to the northeast.  

Lord Jagannath temple at Puri  is built on a gigantic raised platform.   The temple complex is enclosed by a wall about seven meters high. The area of this platform is more than 4,20,000 sq.ft. The wall is pierced by four gates, facing the four directions. On the east-facing gate, there are stone images of two lions and it is called the Simha dwara [Lions Gate]. The north, south and west facing gates are similarly known as the Elephant Gate, the Horse Gate and the Tiger Gate.  As one stands at the Simha dwara,  there is a monolithic pillar about 10 meters high. This pillar is known locally as the Aruna Stambha,  associated with Aruna, charioteer of the Sun-god.  

The main temple is a curvilinear temple and crowning glory  is the 'Sudarshana chakra / Ssrichakra' (an eight spoked wheel) of Vishnu. Also known as the "Nilachakra", it is made out of Ashtadhatu and is considered sacrosanct. The vimana or tower is 215ft high, and in the evening, a temple sevaka  called Garuda sevaka climbs up to the tower to tie pieces of cloth on the flagpole. This chakra is visible from almost all parts of Puri and would appear to be facing you from wherever you are.  The flag atop is believed to flap in the opposite direction of the breeze.  Every day priests climb atop to change the flag, which is a glorious spectacle. 

Eastern Gate or Lion’s Gate (Singha Dwara) is the main entrance to Jagannatha, the Simha is  special incarnation of the Supreme Lord to preach virtues in the world. The eastern gate of the shrine is known as Lion’s gate because the Sun rises from the east.  The Western one is Vyaghra (tiger), the symbol of desire. The one in North is Hasti dwara (Elephant gate), the carrier of Goddess of wealth Mahalakshmi.  This gate for long had on each side a colossal figure of an elephant, disfigured during the Mughal invasion. Subsequently, these figures were repaired and plastered with the mortar and placed at the northern gate of the inner enclosure.  The Southern gate is Aswara dwara (Horse) – and has two galloping horses with Jagannath and Balabhadra on their back in the martial glory. The emperors used to enter the temple through this gate seeking the Lord’s blessing to win the battles.  

Significantly, now all four gates of Jagannatha temple are open to devotees from June 13, 2024,  a day after Odisha’s new BJP Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi took oath. “With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, the BJP formed a government in Odisha. As promised by our party, the first proposal which we approved in our cabinet was to open all four entrance gates of the temple,” Majhi told the media. This comes four years after three of the four entrances to the 12th century shrine were closed by the previous Biju Janata Dal government under Naveen Patnaik.    

The Jagannath temple was closed for devotees after the pandemic-induced lockdown began on March 25, 2020. It was opened nine months later, on December 23. But only the main entrance was kept operational. The state government under Patnaik cited the ‘Srimandir Parikrama’ project as the reason for the gates’ closure. Inaugurated earlier this year, the ambitious Rs 800-crore project involved the development of a 75-metre-long heritage corridor around the temple, and aims at providing improved amenities for devotees.  

But even after the corridor’s inauguration, the three gates remained firmly shut, leading to massive queues at the Singhadwara, and calls for their opening.  Bharatiya Janata Party that   wrested control of Odisha from the 24-years long incumbent BJD, has been demanding that all four gates be reopened for some time now. They accused the BJD government of becoming a ‘barrier’ between the temple gods and their devotees, and even linked the gates’ closure to Odia asmita (Odia pride).  

This came as the BJP was trying to corner the BJD over the growing influence of V K Pandian, a Tamil Nadu-born ex-IAS officer, in the BJD, also invoking rhetoric surrounding Odia pride.  As elections drew nearer, Union Home Minister Amit Shah repeatedly said in public meetings that the BJP would open all four entrances “within hours” of assuming power. The party even included this in its manifesto and the party made good on this promise. Majhi visited the temple on Thursday early morning, along with all his ministers, a number of MLAs, Puri MP Sambit Patra, and other senior BJP leaders. He has also announced the creation of a Rs 500-crore corpus for the safety, security and beautification of the Jagannath temple. 

Jai Jagannatha !! – hail Puri Jagannath

 
adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
14.06.2024

Lion’s Gate (Singha Dwara) ~ the main entrance

Vyaghra (tiger) gate

Hasti dwara (Elephant gate)

Aswaradwara (Horse gate)

Chithirai Shukla Paksha Ekadasi 2024 - பள்ளி அடைந்தானை நாளும் அடைந்து.

எம்பெருமானை ஆச்ரயிக்கப்பெற்றவர்களில் ஆரேனும் துன்பப்படுவார் உண்டோ !?!? இன்று சிறப்பு நாள் -  ஏகாதசி – 19.4.2024, வெள்ளிக்கிழமை  (சித்திரை மாதம் 6, சுக்ல பக்ஷ  ஏகாதசி).  திருவல்லிக்கேணியில்  ஸ்ரீ பார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாள் பெரிய மாட வீதி புறப்பாடு  கண்டருளினார். 

 

It is summer time and the heat is unbearable !  Over the past couple of weeks, Chennai has been experiencing very hot weather and there were fears of mercury shooting up further  - today was a holiday being Election day at Tamil Nadu -  being first phase of 18^th Lok Sabha Elections 2024.   

The Nation has come a long way from the first General elections that were held  25 October 1951 and 21 February 1952.  Voters elected the 489 members of the first Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India. Elections to most of the state legislatures were held simultaneously.   Madras was a composite state with many parts of Andhra and Madras was a single constituency.  Mr TT Krishnamachari won – there were 369299 eligible voters of whom 52.9% voted and TTK garnered 195370 votes.  Not many would know that there was a party called -   Commonweal Party that existed in Tamil Nadu between 1951 and 1954,  started by M. A. Manickavelu Naicker.  The party won three seats in the 1952 Lok Sabha election and six seats in the Madras State legislative assembly elections.   

In the Madras Assembly elections, no  single party obtained a simple majority to form an independent government. C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) of the Indian National Congress became the Chief Minister after a series of re-alignments among various political parties and Independents.  Rajaji resigned in 1954 and in the ensuing leadership struggle, Kamaraj defeated Rajaji's chosen successor C. Subramaniam and became the Chief Minister on 31 March 1954.  

Today the voting was between 7 am to 6 pm – there are couple of Polling booths in the mada veethi – NKT Boys High School and Samarao school – periya mada veethi purappadu started around 5.45 pm.  

ஆரே துயருழந்தார் துன்புற்றார் ஆண்டையார்,

காரே மலிந்த கருங் கடலை,- நேரே

கடைந்தானைக் காரணனை, நீரணைமேல் பள்ளி

அடைந்தானை நாளும் அடைந்து. 

 

மேகங்கள் நிறைந்த பெரிய கடலை தானே முன்னின்று கடைந்தவனும் ஸகல ஜகத்காரண பூதனுமானவனும், திருப்பாற்கடலில்  ஆதிசேஷனாகிற அனந்தன் மேல்  பள்ளிக்கொண்டிருப்பவனுமான எம்பெருமானை நாடோறும் பணிபவர்கள்  ஒருபோதும் ஒருவிதமான துக்கங்களையும் அனுபவிக்கமாட்டார்கள்  - - அவ்வாறு துயருற்றோர் எங்குமில்லை ! யாருமில்லை!!

In this World, there exists sufferings and sorrow ~  Can  there ever be  people bereft of sorrow and  eternally blissful – our Peyalwar shows us the way in his Moonram thiruvanthathi.    Peyazhwar’s advice to the Universe is simple – to those who offer worship everyday to the Lord who reclines in Sesha sayanam,  who churned the ocean, who is the cause of all  - there would seldom by any misery .  

At Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, we are fortunate to have darshan of Emperuman on most days and today being Shukla paksha  Ekadasi in the month of Chithirai  - we were fortunae to have the divyadarshan of Sri Parthasarathi Emperuman

~ adiyen Srinivasadhasan.
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
19.4.2024 

Nandhinee ghee no longer for Thirupathi laddus !!

Living in Chennai ? – most likely that your day starts with filter coffee made with Aavin milk –  Nandhinee is akin to Aavin, in Karnataka. 

Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation Limited (KMF) is the Apex Body for the dairy co-operative movement  in Karnataka. It is touted to be  the second largest dairy co-operative amongst the dairy cooperatives in the country.  The Brand "Nandini" is the household name in Karnataka  for Pure and Fresh milk and milk products.  

From today (Aug 1,2023) – prices of  Nandini milk have  increased by Rs 3 per litre, according to Karnataka government sources. The decision came after a meeting between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, cooperation minister KN Rajanna, representatives from Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), district milk cooperatives, and senior officials on July 22.  It remains unclear whether the price increase will extend to other dairy products such as curds, milk powder, and others.

KMF had demanded an increase of Rs 5 per litre on the selling price in order to boost milk procurement. "The current milk procurement by KMF has declined from 94 lakh litres a day last year to 86 lakh litres. Dairy farmers have been opting for private firms over KMF due to the relatively lower prices offered. This has also led to distress among dairy farmers, who find milk production economically unviable. We are planning to transfer the additional Rs 3 per litre to the farmers," said a KMF official.

A few months ago, there was some controversy – what was a commercial rivalry was coloured as a political one.  Amul tweeted in Apr 2023 about its plans to launch its brand in Bengaluru and political parties in Karnataka whipped up regionalism ahead of the State elections, making it appear – ‘Amul-Nandini’ was, as Amul is from BJP state of Gujarat.  

At that time, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah even appealed to the Kannadigas to boycott the Amul brand. He tweeted, “In addition to language treason by the imposition of Hindi and land treason by trespassing within the state borders, now the BJP government is going to betray the farmers by shutting down Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), which is the livelihood of millions of dairy farming families in the country.”

Well, Congress came to power in Karnataka and is now facing massive criticism as the prices of Nandini milk went up, more so, as the State’s brand lost a multi-crore contract of supplying ghee to the famous Thirumala Thirupathi Devasthanam for preparing the most sought after ‘laddus’. 

The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) on Sunday informed that it will not supply ghee to make the famous laddus given as 'prasad' at the renowned Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. KMF Chairman Bheema Naik said Nandini is known for its quality, and it cannot compromise on the price and hence did not participate in the tender process as required by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust that manages the temple.

Everyone is entitled to talk about their products and decide on its pricing but what purpose is served in talking about what will happen ! – heavens will not fall, laddu sales will not diminish – it is Nandhinee who is the loser, not Thirumala, nor its devotees.

Following the price hike of Nandini milk products, the iconic Tirupati laddus will no longer be made using the ghee made by Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) run Nandini dairy, KMF president Bhima Nayak told the media.  “As we announced a hike in the milk price from August 1, the ghee prices will also go up. The TTD has found a new company that provides them ghee to make Tirupati laddus at a cheaper price. So, after many years, we had to stop the supply of Nandini ghee to TTD,” Hindustan Times reported Nayak as saying.

Another news report states that Tamil Nadu last week approved the increase in Nandini milk prices by Rs 3 per litre.“The milk (toned) that costs Rs 39 will be sold at Rs 42 per liter from August 1. Elsewhere, it is sold between Rs 54 and Rs 56 per litre. In Tamil Nadu the price is Rs 44 per litre,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said. Again why should a State approve the price, the pricing is that of individual seller, determined by various factors including the market competition.

Laddus would no longer be that sweet for KMF, the Karnataka Govt – but for sure, would remain as delicious and sweet for all devotees.

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
1.8.2023