Balapur Ganesh laddu auction: Here’s where all the money goes

Hyderabad: Every year, when the Balapur Ganesh laddu also known as Bangaru laddu, is auctioned culminating the Vinayaka Chaturthi festivities, the entire mandal awaits eagerly as the amount from the bid goes into different development activities.

Right from construction and renovation of temples to installation of surveillance cameras to amenities in the school, the Balapur Utsav Samithi spend the funds on improving infrastructure and providing basic amenities in the locality.

Over the years, of the amount that was generated through the aucitons, the Samithi has spent Rs 1.44 crore to improve infrastructure and also construct and renovate temples in the locality. The spending include Rs 28.55 lakh on Hanuman and Laxmi Ganapati temples, Rs 66 lakh on procuring land for Ganesh pandal.

The Samithi also provided amenities worth Rs 1.45 lakh to Zilla Parishad High School, Balapur, and CCTV cameras were installed at a cost of Rs.75,000. This apart, a financial assistance to the tune of Rs.1 lakh was extended to the people affected due to floods in Mahabubnagar district.

On Friday, the laddu was successful bid by a local farmer and realtor V Laxma Reddy for a whopping Rs.24.60 lakh. This was Rs.5.70 lakh more than last year’s bid by AP MLC Ramesh Yadav and Abacus Overseas Education COO Marri Shashank Reddy.

“Every time, I used to be an auctioneer but this time I decided to bid for the laddu which will be distributed to family and others. The money from auction of laddu is being used for developing temples in Balapur,” said Laxma Reddy, who is also a member of the Samithi.

The history of the laddu’s auction dates back to 1994 when it was successfully bid by a local farmer, Kolan Mohan Reddy, for Rs 450. After distributing the laddu prasadam to his family and locals, he sprinkled it in his farm and had the vegetable yield going up considerably. A joyous Mohan Reddy again bought the laddu for Rs.4,500 the following year and the belief that the laddu here ushers in health, wealth and prosperity, took roots.

In fact, Balapur is credited of initiating the concept of Ganesh laddu auction in the country. So far, the auction has been held 28 times except in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic and the laddu was then presented to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

Balapur Laddu auction:

Year Bidder Amount (Rs.)

1994 Kolan Mohan Reddy: 450

1995 Kolan Mohan Reddy: 4,500

1996 Kolan Krishna Reddy: 18,000

1997 Kolan Krishna Reddy: 28,000

1998 Kolan Mohan Reddy: 51,000

1999 Kallem Anji Reddy: 65,000

2000 Kallem Pratap Reddy: 66,000

2001 G Raghunandan Chary: 85,000

2002 Kandada Madhava Reddy: 1,05,000

2003 Chigirintha Bala Reddy: 1,55,000

2004 Kolan Mohan Reddy: 2,01,000

2005 Ibram Shekar: 2,08,000

2006 Chigirinta Tirupati Reddy: 3,00,000

2007 G Raghunandan Chary: 4,15,000

2008 Kolan Mohan Reddy: 5,07,000

2009 Saritha: 5,10,000

2010 Kodali Sridhar Babu: 5,35,000

2011 Kolan Brothers: 5,45,000

2012 Pannala Goverdhan Reddy: 7,50,000

2013 Teegala Krishna Reddy: 9,26,000

2014 Singi Reddy Jaihind Reddy: 9,50,000

2015 Kallem Madhan Mohan Reddy: 10,32,000

2016 Kandhadi Skylab Reddy: 14,65,000

2017 Nagam Thirupathi Reddy: 15,60,000

2018 Teretipalli Srinivas Guptha: 16,60,000

2019 Kolan Ram Reddy: 17,60,000

2020 Presented to CM ——

2021 Ramesh Yadav & Marri Shashank Reddy: 18,90,000

2022 V Laxma Reddy: 24,60,000