Laddu at Ganesh pandal fetches Rs 15.6 lakh in auction

Hyderabad :  The ‘laddu prasad’ (religious offering of a sweet) at a Ganesh pandal in Balapur on the outskirts of Hyderabad fetched a whopping 15.60 lakh in an open auction today. The auction is conducted every year on the last day of the ‘Vinayaka Chaviti’ festivities before the idol of Lord Ganesh is taken for immersion.

A person, identified as Tirupati Reddy, bagged the laddu for Rs 15.60 lakh in the auction though several others also participated in the event. Those participating in the auction believe that the prasad would bring them good omen if they purchase it. The tradition of auctioning the laddu at Balapur began in the 1990s with a buyer then reportedly paying Rs 450 for it. The winning bid price has increased since then year after year.

It has become a craze to buy the laddu over the years with several businessmen bidding for it. The auctioning of the laddu prasad is also conducted at other pandals set up for worship in the city during the Ganesh festival.