TIRUMALA: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Vigilance wing is considering legal action against MLC Duvvada Srinivas, his companion Divvela Madhuri, and Bigg Boss fame Thanuja, after a controversial ‘cake smash’ celebration was held at sacred Tirumala hills.
The incident took place on Thursday when the couple celebrated Thanuja’s birthday at the Sri Padmavathi Guest House.
According to officials, four suites were allotted to them under the discretionary quota, but the group allegedly brought a 2.5 kg cake into the premises without prior permission. Cakes are strictly prohibited in Tirumala, where even local children celebrate birthdays without them. The ‘cake smash’ tradition—placing a cake before a one-year-old to let them playfully demolish it—is typically seen as a lighthearted social media trend. However, officials expressed concern that the duo treated Tirumala itself as ‘Instagram gold,’ disregarding the sanctity of the temple town. Videos and photos of the event were reportedly shared on Instagram.
TTD officers noted that while offering new clothes, kumkuma, and sarees to Thanuja was acceptable, the cake smash crossed a line. ‘Tirumala ‘is a sacred place where devotees wait for hours for darshan. Using privileges for such frivolous acts shows a lack of basic decency,’ a senior officer said.
Officials are contemplating banning their future darshan under discretionary quota and pursuing measures to prevent similar incidents. They emphasised that Tirumala’s sanctity must be preserved, and such celebrations cannot be allowed within temple premises.