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.
