Balapur Ganesh Laddu Fetches Record Rs 39 Lakh in Auction
Hyderabad, September 25: Hyderabad’s famous Balapur Ganesh laddu was auctioned for a record Rs 39 lakh on Friday, continuing a decades-old tradition associated with the city’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
City-based entrepreneur S. Praneet Reddy emerged as the successful bidder for the 21-kg laddu at an open auction held in Balapur, on the southern outskirts of Hyderabad, ahead of the traditional Ganesh immersion procession.
The auction witnessed participation from eight bidders. Devotees and bidders traditionally believe that taking home the Balapur laddu brings prosperity and good fortune.
The annual auction marks the beginning of the Ganesh immersion procession, which travels through several parts of Hyderabad before reaching Hussain Sagar Lake.
The Balapur Ganesh celebrations have a history spanning about 45 years, while the tradition of auctioning the laddu began in 1994. The first laddu was sold for just Rs 450, with Kolanu Mohan Reddy becoming the first successful bidder. He went on to win the auction for five consecutive years and attributed his prosperity to the tradition, helping boost the laddu’s popularity.
Over the years, the auction has attracted businessmen and politicians, with the belief that the sacred sweet brings prosperity to its winner. Winners traditionally distribute pieces of the laddu among family members and friends, while some also sprinkle its remnants at their homes, businesses and agricultural fields.
For the first 15 years, the auction was restricted to local residents. The organisers later opened participation to people from other areas.
According to the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi, the auction has been conducted 31 times so far. It was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 situation, when the organisers instead presented the laddu to then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The auction price has continued to rise in recent years. In 2024, Kolanu Shankar Reddy purchased the laddu for Rs 30.01 lakh, while Lingala Dasarath Goud won the auction last year for Rs 35 lakh.
This year’s Rs 39 lakh bid has set a new record for the iconic Balapur Ganesh laddu.