Hyderabad: The 21-kg Balapur Ganesh laddu fetched a record Rs 39 lakh at the annual auction on Friday, with businessman Sama Praneeth Reddy of Urban Realty Group placing the winning bid. The bid set a new record, surpassing last year’s Rs 35 lakh.The auction at Balapur began at Rs 1,116 this year, but bidding quickly surpassed last year’s mark and concluded in less than 15 minutes. Nine participants had registered for the auction, including representatives of five companies, while one bidder participated from London. Under rules introduced by the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Committee two years ago, participants had to deposit Rs 35 lakh in advance to enter the auction. Reddy paid the winning amount on the spot.The auction drew large crowds, with people gathering on the roads and rooftops around the temple to watch the bidding. The gigantic laddu, placed in a silver bowl and covered with gold foil, is regarded by devotees as an auspicious prasadam, with many believing that taking it home brings good luck and prosperity. Proceeds from the auction are used for development and welfare works in Balapur, including education-related activities.The auction for the laddu is not new. It has been a Balapur tradition since 1994, when local farmer Kolan Mohan Reddy bought the laddu for Rs 450. The bid has risen steadily over the years, crossing Rs 1 lakh in 2002, Rs 10 lakh in 2015 and Rs 30 lakh in 2024. Last year, Lingala Dasarath Goud bought it for Rs 35 lakh.The Balapur auction was not the only one to attract big bids. At Attapur, the Ganesh laddu offered during the 11-day festival at the ancient Pochamma Temple fetched a record Rs 13.2 lakh. Bhupal Reddy of Gummadi Brothers won the auction after around 50 people participated, with the winning bid being Rs 70,000 higher than last year’s price.
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