Balapur Ganesh Laddu Auctioned for ₹35 Lakh, Bandlaguda Laddu Fetches Record ₹2.32 Crore

The Ganesh Chaturthi festivities drew to a close on Saturday (September 6) with devotees bidding an emotional farewell to Lord Ganesh, praying for his swift return next year. As immersion processions filled the streets with colour and fervour, the spotlight turned to one of Hyderabad’s most anticipated rituals — the auction of the Balapur Ganesh Laddu.

This year’s iconic laddu fetched a record-breaking ₹35 lakh, surpassing last year’s winning bid of ₹30.01 lakh. The prized offering was bagged by Ligala Dashradh Gowd, who could hardly contain his excitement. Speaking to the media moments after the auction, Gowd described it as “a very happy moment” in his life. He revealed that he had been trying to get the laddu for the past five years.

Even before the Balapur auction, another Ganesh Laddu had already set the bar high. On Friday night (September 5), the celebrated 10-kg laddu of Keerthi Richmond Villas in Bandlaguda went under the hammer for an astounding ₹2.32 crore — a new record that surpassed last year’s ₹1.87 crore by a hefty ₹45 lakh.

The spirited contest saw over 80 villa owners split into four groups, placing more than 500 bids over two and a half hours. Proceeds from the auction will go to RV Diya Charitable Trust, which funds over 42 NGOs working in areas including elderly care, menstrual hygiene, women’s empowerment, education, nutrition, healthcare and animal welfare.