Balapur Ganesh laddu sells for record ₹39 lakh at annual auction
The 21-kg Balapur Ganesh laddu fetched a record ₹39 lakh at the annual auction, ₹4 lakh more than last year's winning bid.
The Balapur Ganesh laddu was auctioned for a record ₹39 lakh on Friday, September 25, 2026, with Sama Praneeth Reddy, founder of Urban Group Private Limited, placing the winning bid. The 21-kg offering surpassed the ₹35 lakh it commanded in 2025, an increase of ₹4 lakh.
Nine bidders took part in this year's auction, which has become one of the most awaited events of the Ganesh festival in Hyderabad. Before bidding opened, members of the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi offered prayers to Lord Ganesh and sought rain, with the region recording a rainfall deficiency this year.
The auction followed a ceremonial tour of the 18-foot-tall Ganesh idol through the lanes of Balapur, giving residents and devotees gathered along the route a glimpse of the idol ahead of the auction and the immersion procession. Both the procession and the auction were delayed by about an hour.
After the bidding concluded, the Shobha Yatra set off on its 18-km journey to Hussain Sagar, where the idol will be immersed.
The Balapur laddu auction dates back to 1994, when a similar offering was sold for ₹450 to farmer Kolan Mohan Reddy. Its value has climbed steadily since, making the laddu a defining symbol of the Balapur Ganesh celebrations and drawing growing interest from bidders each year.