Who Is Shiva Jyothi? Bigg Boss 3 Telugu Contestant Triggers Backlash With Tirumala Annaprasadam Remark: ‘We Are Richest Beggars’

Shiva Jyothi, a television presenter from India and a former participant of Bigg Boss Telugu Season 3, was at the center of a social media storm because of her inappropriate remarks regarding the revered Annaprasadam (divine food offering) at the renowned Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The incident was triggered by a video, which she or her friend shot and uploaded, during the very pilgrimage to the holy place recently.

While in the queue for Srivani trust-linked darshan, Shiva Jyothi was seen receiving the obligatory food offering given by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to devotees.

In the video, she was heard saying, “We are taking costly prasadam in Tirumala…we are the richest beggars.” This remark was immediately met with a torrent of disapproval from the devotees, who considered it a serious offense to the purity of the Annaprasadam. They argued that a divine blessing from Lord Venkateswara, not a free good, was being insulted.

Anchor’s Explanation and Apology

In response to the huge public outcry, Shiva Jyothi quickly apologized on her social media accounts. She admitted her word choice was inappropriate, deeply regretted it, and made it clear that her aim was not to offend the religious feelings of the devotees.

Her rationale revolved around the background of her statement. She specified that the mention of being ‘rich’ was just because she and her friends were at the very expensive ₹10,000 Srivani trust queue for an accelerated darshan, thus connecting the ‘luxurious’ side to the ticket fee rather than the holy meal itself.

She claimed her fidelity to the god, Lord Venkateswara, was rock-solid and that the unfortunate remark was a mistake made either deviously or innocently. She also represented her accompanying brother, who was with her at the time, in apologizing.

TTD’s Action on Devotional Etiquette

The chaos created by this controversy has once again made people think of the sacredness issue with the Tirumala temple complex. The TTD has been very strict in issuing rules for the inside of the complex, as it does not allow taking pictures, making ‘reels’, or vlogging in the areas, and in this way, it aims to keep the spiritual environment intact.

The video of Shiva Jyothi that went viral together with the discussions deemed disrespectful have resulted in devotees and Hindu groups demanding tighter enforcement of the regulations.

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