Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan began his 11-day ‘Praschit Deeksha’ (penance) on Sunday at a temple in Guntur district. This spiritual act is in response to allegations that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu prasadam.

Pawan Kalyan initiated the Deeksha at the Sri Dasavatara Venkateswara Swamy temple in Nambur, Guntur, after performing rituals and prayers led by temple priests.

The actor-politician expressed that after completing the Deeksha, he plans to visit Tirumala to seek Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy’s blessings. He hopes to receive the strength to rectify the wrongdoings of past leaders, who, he claims, allowed the use of ghee adulterated with fish oil and animal fat in the sacred laddu.

In his statement before starting the Deeksha, the Jana Sena leader said the Tirumala laddu, cherished by millions of devotees, had been defiled by the previous rulers. He accused them of allowing the use of animal fat, a serious offense that had gone unnoticed for too long. “This sin has stained our Hindu faith,” he remarked.

Pawan Kalyan shared his personal feelings of guilt upon learning about the alleged contamination. He expressed disappointment that such a grave matter had not come to light sooner and believes that all followers of Sanatana Dharma should atone for this injustice. This is why he chose to undertake Deeksha for penance.

He further emphasized that only those lacking faith or fear of sin could have committed such an act. He also expressed regret that even the board members and employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam failed to uncover this wrongdoing, possibly out of fear of the previous rulers.

Pawan Kalyan condemned the past leaders for damaging the sanctity of Tirumala, which is deeply revered by Hindus. He said the use of ghee containing animal fat in laddu prasadam had hurt the religious sentiments of countless devotees. He concluded by saying that the time has come to take strong actions to restore Dharma.