To preserve sanctity, TTD serves legal notice over unauthorised use of Tirupati Laddu GI tag

Hyderabad: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that manages the world famous Tirumala temple cracked down on unauthorised use of Tirupati Laddu GI Tag as it issued legal notices after which offenders suspended online listings.

In a decisive move to safeguard the sanctity and intellectual property of the sacred Tirupati Laddu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has initiated legal action against multiple unauthorized entities found selling or promoting products under the "Tirupati Laddu" name in violation of its registered Geographical Indication (GI).

Legal notices were served to several online platforms and vendors including PushMyCart (Mahita LLC) and Transact Foods Limited, for unauthorized commercial exploitation of the Tirupati Laddu name and falsely associating their offerings with the temple.

Legal notices highlighted that Tirupati Laddu is a protected GI under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. The preparation of the laddu is done exclusively within the Tirumala temple under the supervision of TTD, following a time-honoured and sanctified process.

Unauthorised use and sale of the name not only infringes legal rights but also undermines the spiritual sanctity of the offering.

The Tirumala temple kitchen, known as 'Potu', prepares the highly revered Tirupati Laddu, which has garnered attention for all the wrong reasons in recent days.

The Tirupati Laddu had obtained a GI tag in 2009. 'Dittam,' a list of ingredients and their proportions, guides the preparation of Tirupati Laddus.

The Laddu offering to Lord Sri Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala hill shrine, is believed to have begun in the year 1715. The Temple Kitchen employs around 620 cooks, known as Potu Karmikulu, to prepare laddus in the laddu potu.

According to Dittam, the ingredients in Tirupati Laddu include gram flour, cardamom, cashew nuts, ghee, sugar, sugar candy, and raisins. A trip to Tirumala is considered complete only after having Laddu Prasadam, which has a distinct taste and aroma.

In response, PushMyCart acknowledged receipt of the legal notice and, showing goodwill, suspended the infringing product listings pending legal review. Several other vendors have also taken down their listings following TTD’s proactive outreach.

“The Tirupati Laddu is not just a product, but a sacred prasadam with deep spiritual and cultural value. We are committed to taking all necessary legal steps to prevent its misuse and to protect the trust of crores of devotees worldwide,” said TTD executive officer, J Syamala Rao on Friday.

This is among the first instances in India where a temple offering protected under GI law has been defended through formal legal channels on international platforms.

TTD that manages the Tirumala temple makes around 3 to 3.5 lakh Laddus every day and also earns close to Rs 500 crore only by selling Laddus to the pilgrims annually. Laddu Potu Kitchen has the capacity to make around eight lakh laddus in a day. It also has three conveyor belts to transport raw materials and also Laddus.