Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s iconic Balapur Ganesh laddu fetched a record ₹39 lakh at the annual auction held in Balapur on Friday, setting a new high for the famous Ganesh Chaturthi tradition.
City-based entrepreneur S. Praneet Reddy emerged as the successful bidder for the 21-kg laddu at an open auction conducted before the traditional Ganesh immersion procession.
The winning bid surpassed last year’s ₹35 lakh, when Lingala Dasarath Goud purchased the laddu.
Eight bidders participated in this year’s auction, which is considered a significant event in Balapur’s Ganesh festivities. The auction traditionally marks the beginning of the Ganesh immersion procession from Balapur, which proceeds through various parts of Hyderabad before reaching Hussain Sagar.
Tradition dating back to 1994
The Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi said the Balapur Ganesh celebrations have a history of around 45 years, while the tradition of auctioning the laddu began in 1994.
The first laddu was auctioned for just ₹450 in 1994. Kolanu Mohan Reddy emerged as the first successful bidder and went on to win the auction for five consecutive years. His claims of prosperity after purchasing the laddu helped increase its popularity among devotees and the business community.
Over the years, the auction has become one of Hyderabad’s most recognised Ganesh festival traditions, with businessmen and political leaders participating in the bidding.
Belief in prosperity
The laddu is popularly associated with good fortune and prosperity. Successful bidders traditionally distribute pieces of the sweet among family members, friends and associates.
Some winners also sprinkle portions of the laddu or its remnants at their homes, agricultural fields and business establishments, believing that it will bring prosperity.
The auction was initially restricted to local residents for about 15 years. Later, people from other parts of Hyderabad and elsewhere were allowed to participate.
Auction history
The Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi has conducted the auction 31 times, with the event not being held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, the organisers reportedly presented the laddu to then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
In 2024, Kolanu Shankar Reddy purchased the Balapur laddu for ₹30.01 lakh, while the following year Lingala Dasarath Goud secured it for ₹35 lakh.
This year’s ₹39 lakh bid has now set a new record, adding another milestone to the long-running Balapur Ganesh laddu tradition.
