No doubt TTD is giving free food to the devotees. But the quality is not that good. The food given at the Padmavathi Temple is better than that of the TTD.
The menu is good but not the quality of rice and also the Sambar.
The saga of Annaprasadam has been continuing its unstoppable journey since 1985 irrespective of the flow and hours of devotees at the hill shrine. However, the credit goes to the great Telugu Saint Poetess of the 18th Century, Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba who pioneered Annaprasadam in Tirumala by serving free food as a hunger relief to devotees who came to Srivari temple nestled in thick forests about three centuries ago.
Now right from common man to Ambani, people are dontating for the free food donation at the TTD. There is no dearth of funds, but the quality is not improving.
Legends speak that Vengamamba used to organise drinking water and Anna Prasadam distribution during the Sri Narasimha Jayanti festival in the Vaishaka month at Tirumala for ten days. People speak out on land granted to her by kings from Dindigal to Golconda of Hyderabad, Telangana state.
As a tribute to the stellar contribution of Vengamamba, the TTD has named the massive Rs.35crore Annaprasada Bhavan after her as Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam Complex (MTVAC) which was opened in 2008 on July 11 by the then Honourable President of India, Smt Pratibha Patil.
With ultra-modern cooking systems and dining halls to accommodate 4000 devotees at a time the complex is serving Annaprasadam to 65000 pilgrims every day and nearly one lakh pilgrims during festive days like Brahmotsavams, Radha Sapthami, Vaikuntha Ekadasi etc.
But the TTD board members at least one of them must have food on a daily basis here so that they will have check on the quality of the free food being served. They must also taste the upma being served on the streets of Tirumala.
