Telangana’s Balapur Ganesh 21-kg laddu auctioned for record ₹35 lakh

The three-decade-old tradition of auctioning the laddu offered to Balapur Ganesh reached a fresh milestone on Saturday (September 6, 2025) morning, when the sweet offering was sold for ₹35 lakh. The iconic laddu, weighing 21 kilograms and standing around two feet tall with a tapering crown, drew spirited bidding before setting this year’s record. Last year, it fetched ₹30,01,000.

The auction was held after the ceremonial tour of the idol through Balapur’s lanes, a ritual that signals the beginning of the Ganesh immersion festivities. The winning bid was made by Lingala Dashrat Goud, a resident of Karmanghat, who edged past four other bidders.

From the break of dawn, Balapur’s Temple Road turned into a river of devotees and onlookers. The narrow stretch, lined with general stores, tailoring shops and homes was decorated in hues of saffron and white. Hundreds of locals, many dressed in traditional attire, packed themselves along the barricaded lanes. Overhead, strings of saffron buntings stretched from a central knot, fanning wide against the clear blue sky like sunrays, lending the air a festive glow.

Security was visibly tight, with heavy police deployment extending nearly half-a-kilometre from the main pandal. Barricades and personnel directed both crowds and traffic, ensuring order as anticipation built for the twin highlights of the morning — the laddu auction and the much-awaited immersion procession of 18-foot Ganesh idol.

Meanwhile, a trailer vehicle decorated with fresh marigold garlands stood parked in the colony, ready to carry the idol on its journey to the Hussain Sagar. The immersion, which traditionally draws lakhs of devotees and onlookers to the heart of the city, had not begun by 11 a.m. It is expected to begin shortly, winding its way through the city before culminating at the lake.