Hyd: Famous Balapur Ganesh laddu auction fetches record Rs 39 lakh
Hyderabad, Sept 25 (TNT): The famous Balapur Ganesh laddu auction fetched a record Rs 39 lakh on Friday, continuing a three-decade-old tradition associated with the annual Ganesh festival in Telangana.
The 21-kg laddu, considered auspicious by devotees, attracted spirited bidding before being sold for Rs 39 lakh, Rs 4 lakh higher than last year’s bid.
Sama Praneerth Reddy of Urban Group Private Limited emerged as the winning bidder.
The laddu, weighing 21 kg and measuring about two feet in height with a tapering crown, has become an iconic feature of the Balapur Ganesh celebrations.
Before the auction, members of the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi offered prayers to Lord Ganesh and sought rain amid a rainfall deficit in the state this year.
In 2025, Lingala Dasrath Goud of Karmanghat won the auction with a bid of Rs 35 lakh, while Kolan Shankar Reddy purchased the laddu for Rs 30.01 lakh in 2024.
The tradition dates back to 1994, when Kolan Krishna Reddy purchased the laddu for Rs 450.
The auction is held ahead of the traditional Balapur Ganesh Shobha Yatra.
The 16-km-long procession passes through Balapur, Chandrayangutta, Falaknuma, Charminar, Afzalgunj, MJ Market and Abids before culminating at Hussain Sagar, where the idol will be immersed.
A total of nine bidders, including representatives of five companies, participated in the auction, which had an upset price of Rs 1,116.
The laddu is regarded as auspicious, and winners traditionally distribute portions of it among family members, friends and others.
The proceeds from the auction are utilised for temple-related activities and development works in Balapur.
TNT TS
