{
  "id": 15386702,
  "title": "Laddu prasadam in high demand at Vijayawada’s Indrakeeladri during Dasara Navaratri",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/laddu-prasadam-in-high-demand-at-vijayawadas-indrakeeladri-during",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-18T09:24:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/laddu-prasadam-in-high-demand-at-vijayawadas-indrakeeladri-during-dasara-navaratri/article71597247.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Laddu prasadam, a popular offering at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam on Indrakeeladri hill in Vijayawada, is in high demand during the Dasara Navaratri festival. The temple authorities have seen a surge in demand for the sweet snack, which is prepared with ghee and dry fruits, made to satisfy the cravings of thousands of devotees visiting the sacred site.\n\nOn October 16, 2026, the first day of the nine-day festival, the temple authorities sold approximately 2.5 lakh laddus, with a whopping 4.5 lakh laddus being sold within just two days. This surge in demand led to the establishment of an online payment system, known as the \"laddu ATM,\" which allows devotees to purchase two laddus each by simply paying for their purchase online.\n\nTemple officials have reported that nearly one lakh devotees visited the Kanaka Durga Temple on the seventh day of Navaratri, causing heavy rush at the laddu ATM. The Endowments Department has also arranged prasadam-selling counters at various locations around Indrakeeladri to cater to the needs of the large crowd.",
  "summary": "A laddu ATM lets devotees pay online and take two laddus each",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}