Tapeswaram Laddu As Ganapathi Prasadam

KAKINADA: Tapeswaram, a village in Konaseema district, famous for its Khaja preparation, also gained prominence in the making of heavy laddus. A major share of the Laddu Prasadam for Lord Ganapathi during the Vinayaka Chaturthi festival is supplied from this laid-back village.

The village’s two natives, P. Mallibabu and the late Venkateswara Rao, were famous for their large laddu preparations. They used to compete between themselves in preparing the laddus of the largest sizes and created records. Those days are over now, but the village keeps basking in its past glory. At a time when the Vinayaka Chaturthi festival is approaching, the village gains special attention.

However, for the past seven years, the ‘heavy-size laddu’ glory of the village diminished to an extent. In 2015, a fungus infection was detected in the Khairatabad laddu. From then on, Mallibabu gave up preparation of heavy-size laddus. His competitor Venkateswara Rao passed away.

A high point was 2016, when Mallibabu offered a 500-kilo laddu to the Khairatabad Ganesh free of cost. During the Ganesh laddus preparation time, the workers used to take up Ganapathi Deeksha and prepare the laddus with great devotion and high quality. Once, a laddu prepared by Mallibabu found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. It weighed 30 tonnes and cost ₹45 lakh.

That, then, was a big event. After preparation of this laddu, it was lifted onto a truck with the help of a crane and transported to Hyderabad. The laddu was ceremoniously installed in the hand of Lord Ganapathi there – again with the help of a crane.

This year, it’s going to be good business for Mallibabu. He has received orders from Ganesh pandal organisers for making four tonnes of laddus. His team of workers have already started the Deeksha and preparation. Another trader, D. Uma Maheswara Rao, said he prepares a huge laddu for the Balapur Vinayak every year.