Tirupati Laddu Row: Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan Begins 11-Day ‘Prayaschitta Diksha’ [Watch]

New Delhi: The controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in Tirumala Tirupati temple’s laddu prasadam took another turn on Sunday with Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan embarking on an 11-day ‘Prayaschitta Diksha’ (penance).

In a post on X in Hindi on late Saturday evening, he stated, “I am deeply pained on a personal level by the vile attempts to desecrate the sanctity of the prasad at the sacred Tirupati Balaji Temple, which is the spiritual center of our culture, faith, belief, and devotion. To be honest, I feel deeply betrayed from within.”

Asking for forgiveness and strength for the entire “Sanatan community” from Lord Venkateshwara, the Deputy CM announced to start an 11-day fasting from today.

“At this very moment, I seek forgiveness from the Lord and resolve to undertake an eleven-day fast as part of my penance. Towards the end of this eleven-day penance (upawas), on October 1 and 2, I will visit Tirupati, seek the Lord’s direct darshan, offer my prayers, and beg for forgiveness. Only then, in the presence of the Lord, will my penance reach its completion.”

He began his penance at Sri Dashavatara Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Nambur in Guntur district.