Laddu prasadam is likely to become dearer for devotees thronging Indrakeeladri abode of Goddess Kanaka Durga here.
Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam has decided to increase the cost of laddu from December 18. Though laddu would be sold at Rs. 10 each, its weight would be reduced to 80 grams against 100 grams at present.
The Kanaka Durga temple authorities have justified their decision claiming that the ingredients became much more expensive. At a time when the temple was suffering losses by subsidising the laddus, there was no other way to check the losses.
Temple Executive Officer Ch. Narsing Rao said that the temple management secured “permission” from Endowments Commissioner to hike the laddu price in view of steep escalation in cost of production. In fact, other temples such as Simhachalam had already implemented it, he said.
“We don’t want to disappoint the Bhavanis thronging the temple to relinquish their deeksha. So, the new tariff will come into force from December 18 as the Deeksha viramana will come to an end by December 16,” the officials said.
The cost of ghee (clarified butter), a key ingredient in laddu preparation, has touched Rs. 390 a kg as against Rs. 294 in 2012. The temple requires not less than 500 kg of ghee every day to prepare the laddus. The daily demand touches 600 kg if other prasadams like ‘chakkera pongali’ were also to be considered.
Cashew nut costs Rs. 438.94 a kg as against Rs. 409.66 a kg in 2012. The price of oil has also gone up to Rs. 139 from Rs. 92 a kg. Expenditure on raisins has increased to Rs. 189 a kg from Rs. 129.44 a kg in 2012, he said.
The temple authorities revised the laddu rates in 2012 by increasing the laddu weight from 80 grams to 100 grams. The 80 gram laddu, which was sold at Rs. 5 in September 2011, was priced at Rs.10 with a weight of 100 grams.
The temple authorities then justified the move by saying with the previous price for the laddu prasadam, the shrine had been incurring an additional expenditure of Rs.1.5 lakh a day. The temple in used to incur an expenditure of Rs. 6.50 to Rs. 7 for preparation of each laddu weighing 80 grams in 2011. However, the price and weight was increased to Rs. 10 and 100 grams.
On normal days, about 30,000 to 40,000 laddus are sold every day, and the sale touches 80,000 on Fridays and Sundays.
