TIRUPATI, INDIA, May 20, 2020 (Newsd): With uncertainty continuing as to when the temple will open, Sri Venkateswara temple authorities on Wednesday decided to sell Tirupati laddu Prasadam or the sacred offering among devotees at 50 percent discount across Andhra Pradesh and in state capitals of neighboring states. The laddu, weighing 6 oz, will be sold for US$0.33, against its normal price of $0.66. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages the affairs of the world’s richest Hindu temple, took the decision in view of the continuing uncertainty over resumption of darshan.
It has been two months since darshan was stopped for the devotees at the hill shrine in view of the lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19. TTD Trust Board Chairman Y.V Subba Reddy said the laddu prasadam will be made available shortly at all TTD Kalyana Mandapams and information centers present in all the 13 district headquarters in Andhra Pradesh along with Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. Reddy said responding to devotees’ generous contributions to its e-Hundi, TTD decided to resume laddu prasadam sale at the 50% discount.