Maharashtra: Siddhivinayak temple denies viral video showing mice in prasad packets; Probe on

Maharashra News: A viral video circulating on social media has sparked outrage, allegedly showing mice crawling over prasad packets purportedly from Mumbai’s renowned Siddhivinayak Temple. The video, which has raised concerns among devotees, shows laddus stored in what appears to be a poorly maintained area with mice roaming freely. However, the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir Trust (SSGT), which manages the temple, has firmly denied any connection to the footage.

Temple trust dismisses allegations

Sada Sarvankar, chairperson of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust and a member of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, categorically rejected the video’s authenticity, stating it was filmed “somewhere outside.” He emphasized that the temple's prasad preparation area maintains the highest standards of cleanliness. “Lakhs of laddus are distributed daily, and the place where they are prepared is clean. The video shows a dirty place, and I can see it is not from the temple, but shot somewhere outside,” Sarvankar said in a statement to PTI.

Full investigation to be conducted

Despite dismissing the video as fake, Sarvankar assured devotees that the temple administration would take the matter seriously. The temple will review CCTV footage to rule out any internal mishaps, and an official investigation will be conducted with the assistance of local police to track the source of the misleading video. “Action will be taken against the guilty,” he added, assuring that those responsible for spreading false information will face legal consequences.

Commitment to quality and hygiene

Sarvankar also reassured worshippers about the quality of prasad offered at the temple. “We take full responsibility for the purity of our laddus,” he said, emphasizing that the temple adheres to rigorous quality control measures. “Ghee, cashew, and other ingredients are first sent for testing at the lab of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and used only after approval. Even our water is tested at the lab. This means we pay full attention to ensure that the prasad given to devotees is pure,” Sarvankar clarified.

While the clip circulating online shows mice in torn packets of laddus, placed in a blue tray, the authenticity of the video has yet to be verified. Media outlets, including Hindustan Times, have stated they are unable to independently confirm the validity of the footage. Interestingly, in Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is associated with a mouse as his ‘vehicle.’ However, the presence of mice in prasad has raised widespread concerns, especially considering the temple’s sacred status. Devotees visit the Siddhivinayak Temple to seek blessings from Ganesha, also known as ‘Ganapati’ or ‘Vinayaka,’ a deity worshipped at the beginning of new ventures or important life events.

Context of the Controversy

This incident comes on the heels of a similar controversy involving prasad at the Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati. Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had accused the previous administration of using substandard ingredients, including animal fat, in the preparation of laddus. His political rival and predecessor, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has strongly denied these allegations.The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, however, remains committed to maintaining the trust and faith of millions of devotees by ensuring the highest standards of hygiene and quality.

Siddhivinayak Temple, viral video controversy, mice in prasad, prasad quality assurance, Mumbai temple news, Sada Sarvankar, Maharashtra news, Ganesha temple controversy, temple hygiene standards, police investigation, temple CCTV footage, laddus video, prasad packets, temple trust response, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, BMC lab testing, prasad preparation standards, Mumbai viral news, Siddhivinayak laddus, Mumbai religious news, prasad safety, temple video inquiry, temple prasad safety, social media outrage, temple investigation.