SC Rejects Plea on Use of Indigenous Cow Milk at Tirumala Temple
SC asks petitioner to approach high court; emphasizes devotion through compassion, not breed distinctions
Tirupati: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to admit a petition that sought a directive that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams would use only indigenous cow milk in the rituals and offerings at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala.
The bench, comprising Justices MM Sundaresh and N Kotiswar Singh, advised the petitioner to approach the appropriate high court instead.
During the hearing, Justice Sundaresh stated that devotion should be expressed through compassion towards all living beings, not by insisting on distinctions such as cow breeds. “A cow is a cow”, he remarked, adding that many societal issues required more urgent attention.
He, however, clarified that the court’s comments were made with complete respect.
The petitioner’s lawyer contended that scriptures like Agama Shastra mandate the use of milk from native Indian cows in temple rituals. He claimed that TTD trust had previously passed a resolution supporting this. Thus, the plea, he said, only sought enforcement of an existing decision.
In reply, Justice Sundaresh stated that such divisions, based on breed, language or region, are human constructs, not divine instructions.
“God belongs to everyone. Can we say God only prefers local cow milk,” he questioned.
The court also asked if any legal order supported the petitioner’s request. When informed of certain previous constitutional judgments, the bench declined to pursue the matter, suggesting instead, “Will we now ask whether Tirupati laddus must also be made only from indigenous ingredients?”
The court allowed the petitioner to withdraw the case, granting him the liberty to approach the high court.
In response to queries, a senior TTD official told Deccan Chronicle that the temple maintains over 3,000 cows of indigenous breeds like Ongole, Gir and Sahiwal. Their milk is already used in temple rituals, including the Abhishekam ceremonies. He clarified that the rare Punganur breed and some other Desi cows are being preserved due to their endangered status.
The official also noted that donations to the SV Gosamrakshana Trust managed by TTD exceeded `250 crore as of January 2024. “TTD continues to promote the spiritual importance of cows through Go Puja and conservation programmes. Cows, bulls and other animals at gaushalas in Tirupati and Palamaner are considered vital to the temple’s daily rituals and major festivals”, he added.
