Balapur Ganesh Laddu fetches record Rs 39 lakh at annual auction
The Balapur Ganesh Laddu was auctioned for a record Rs 39 lakh in Rangareddy, with Sam Praneeth Reddy placing the winning bid during Ganesh Visarjan.
The annual auction of the Balapur Ganesh Laddu has set a new record, with the sacred 21-kg prasadam going for Rs 39 lakh during Ganesh Visarjan in Rangareddy district on Friday.
The winning bid was placed by Sam Praneeth Reddy, a 35-year-old businessman from Vanasthalipuram who is associated with Arban Reality Group. Reddy, who recently returned to India from the United States and launched his venture under the name Arban Groups, outbid eight other participants to claim the laddu. After the final bid, he posed with the grand prasadam as devotees celebrated.
The auction drew thousands of devotees. Last year, the laddu was won by Lingala Dasharath Goud for Rs 35 lakh.
The tradition of auctioning the laddu, considered auspicious by local residents, began in 1994, when it was brought for just Rs 450. The practice has continued every year since. A portion of the auction proceeds is set aside for the following year's Ganesh Puja celebrations, while the remainder is used by organisers for developmental programmes in the Balapur area.
Meanwhile, the grand Shobha Yatra in Balapur village has begun, with devotees set to immerse Lord Ganesha's idol to conclude Ganesh Chaturthi. VHP national spokesperson Ravinuthala Shashidhar said comprehensive arrangements had been made for the mass immersion, with the government, administration and police department putting systems in place. He noted a delay of about an hour but said the immersion was expected to be completed by 2 PM.
Ganesh Chaturthi, which marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, is observed with the installation of idols, prayers, devotional offerings and festive gatherings, and is particularly prominent in Maharashtra. Immersion processions are being held amid security arrangements by local authorities and police to facilitate the movement of devotees and ensure public safety. Leaders and organisers have appealed to people to follow official directions and maintain a peaceful atmosphere during the concluding celebrations.