Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has recently introduced Masala Vada to its Annaprasadam menu at the Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex (MTVAC) at Tirumala, and the response from devotees has been overwhelmingly positive.

Currently, 35,000 Masala Vadas are served daily, but the demand far exceeds this number, with nearly double the number of pilgrims dining at MTVAC each day.

TTD’s Annaprasadam programme, which has been providing free meals to devotees for nearly four decades, has its roots in the selfless service of the 18th century saint poetess Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba. Guided by divine instruction from Goddess Padmavathi Devi, established the practice, feeding pilgrims with donations she received.

However, the formal Annadana scheme was launched on April 6, 1985, under the then Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, but the practice of distributing food at Tirumala dates back centuries. Inspired by the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings on the importance of feeding the hungry, the concept of Annaprasadam aligns with the principles of Hindu Sanatana Dharma.

Honouring Vengamamba’s legacy, TTD constructed the state-of-the-art MTVAC in 2011, exactly where Vengamamba’s hut once stood. Inaugurated by the then President of India, Pratibha Patil, the Rs 33 crore facility accommodates 1,000 pilgrims per sitting across four expansive halls. The Annaprasadam initiative, which started by serving just 2,000 pilgrims daily in 1985, now feeds an average of 60,000 devotees each day, with numbers soaring beyond one lakh during festivals.

To sustain this large-scale operation, TTD established the Annaprasadam Trust, which holds Rs 531.97 crore in fixed deposits across nationalised banks. The trust relies on interest from these deposits and an annual contribution of Rs 25 crore from TTD to meet the Rs 70 crore annual expenditure. Each day, the kitchen at MTVAC prepares 13 tonnes of rice and 6 tonnes of vegetables, a substantial portion of which is donated by devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Karnataka.

Ahead of the sacred Annaprsadam initiative completing 40 years by next month, the TTD board led by BR Naidu has decided to introduce Masala Vada in the menu for the devotees which marks a new chapter in the tradition.

Along with Executive Officer J Syamala Rao and Additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdary, the Chairman has formally launched the distribution on March 6. The preparation of Masala Vada normally includes onions and garlic.

But, following the tradition in TTD, these are being prepared without onions and garlic at MTVAC and held a trial run on January 20. Lentils, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, podina and anise will be used in the preparation of vadas served to the devotees. Seeing the response, the full-fledged distribution started last week.

A group of devotees commented that the food served at the MTVAC was very tasty and they consider it as a sacred prasadam of the Lord. They appreciated the Masala Vada which adds a new taste without onions. The devotees even appreciated the services of Srivari Sevaks who served the food with patience and kindness making it a memorable experience.