Hyderabad: The Balapur Ganesha Laddu was auctioned for Rs 18.9 lakh, at the start of the immersion procession here on Sunday.
The 21-kg laddu, coated in gold, was brought by YSR Congress MLC R.V. Ramesh Yadav and his partner Marri Shashank Reddy. The winner said he would present to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Owing to the pandemic the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi did not conduct an auction last year, instead, it was presented to the state chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.
This year the auction saw over 20 bidders at the Balapur temple premises. The bid began at Rs 1,116 at 8.30 am.
Present at the auction were education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and former MLA Teegala Krishna Reddy as well as Ram Reddy, who won the auction in 2019 by paying Rs 17.6 lakh for the laddy.
The first laddu auction was held in 1994, and fetched Rs 450. Bidders believe that the laddu would benefit their health and prosperity. Some mix the laddu in soil for better crop yield.
In 2018, the laddu was bagged by one Kolan Ram Reddy, for Rs 17.6 lakh. The money is used to develop the temple, the Balapur area, and finance welfare activities.
