The year 2025 has proved to be one of the most testing periods in the recent history of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the statutory body that manages the world-famous shrine of Lord Venkateswara. A succession of crises, investigations and political sparring placed the revered temple trust under sustained public scrutiny, raising questions over administration, accountability and institutional oversight.
The year began on a tragic note. A stampede during the issuance of Vaikuntha Ekadasi darshan tokens in January claimed six lives and left several others injured, exposing serious lapses in crowd management at a time of heavy pilgrim influx. The incident set an uneasy tone for the months that followed, as the TTD struggled to cope with the fallout from past controversies while confronting new allegations.
Already weighed down by unresolved issues from the previous year — including the Parakamani cash-counting scandal, accusations of adulterated ghee used in laddu prasadam, irregularities in engineering works and disputes over promotions — the trust sought to restore confidence through corrective measures. However, those efforts were soon overshadowed by fresh controversies, notably the alleged irregularities in the supply of Anga Vastrams, the disputed land exchange proposal with the State Tourism Department and other procurement-related issues.
Throughout the year, the TTD remained in the news as findings from multiple investigative agencies surfaced one after another. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alongside parallel probes by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), kept the institution under constant scrutiny. Political parties further intensified the debate, trading charges and drawing the shrine’s governance into the larger arena of State politics.
The CBI-led SIT submitted a status report to the Supreme Court in the adulterated ghee case, alleging large-scale fraud and the use of palm oil derivatives in prasadam preparation. Acting on the court’s directions, the team — comprising officials from the CBI, State police and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) — identified serious weaknesses in procurement procedures and suggested the involvement of kickbacks and external influence in contract allocation. Several arrests followed, including those of prime dairy suppliers, a Delhi-based chemical trader and a former Executive Engineer (Procurements). Past chairpersons and executive officers were also questioned regarding oversight lapses. Meanwhile, the High Court continued to monitor the ongoing Parakamani investigation.
Further controversy erupted when a vigilance inquiry exposed an alleged ₹54.95-crore scam involving the supply of inferior polyester ‘Anga Vastrams’ (shawls) billed as pure mulberry silk over nearly a decade. Laboratory tests ordered by the TTD under its present Chairman B.R. Naidu and conducted by the Central Silk Board in Bengaluru and Dharmavaram confirmed that the material was not silk, as claimed.
Amid the turbulence, the TTD introduced a set of reform measures aimed at improving services and rebuilding trust. Devotees welcomed the improved quality of laddus and meals at the free food complex. Following Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s instructions, feedback registers were placed across major service points, recording high satisfaction levels from visiting devotees.
In a first for the temple’s history, the TTD announced that only online Sarva Darshan tokens would be issued for common pilgrims during the first three days of the Vaikuntha Ekadasi festival beginning December 30. The board also unveiled a master plan for a complete transition to electric mobility, replacing diesel and petrol vehicles with eco-friendly alternatives. Expansion of anna prasadam services and digital payment facilities across all 60 temples managed by the TTD in various States further signalled a push towards operational modernisation and enhanced transparency.