Archive · 26 Sep 2026
Balapur Ganesh Laddu Auction Sets Record With ₹39 Lakh
Balapur holds a special auction for a large Ganesh laddu during the Ganesh festival.
This year, Sama Praneeth Reddy offered the highest amount and won it.
He paid ₹39 lakh, which is more than last year’s ₹35 lakh.
The laddu weighs 21 kilograms.
Many people believe that winning it brings good luck and prosperity.
Nine bidders took part, including people from outside the local area.
The tradition began in 1994, when the laddu sold for only ₹450.
The money raised is used for village improvements, temple work and welfare activities.
Sama Praneeth Reddy won the Balapur Ganesh laddu auction with a ₹39 lakh bid.
The 21-kilogram laddu fetched ₹4 lakh more than the ₹35 lakh price recorded in 2025.
The 2026 auction was the 33rd, continuing a tradition that began in 1994 with a ₹450 bid.
Nine bidders participated, including local contestants and an NRI, amid intense competition.
Auction proceeds are traditionally used for village development, temple improvements and social welfare activities.
- Who
- Sama Praneeth Reddy won the auction conducted by the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi.
- What
- A 21-kilogram Balapur Ganesh laddu was sold for a record ₹39 lakh.
- When
- The auction was held on Friday during the 2026 Ganesh festival.
- Where
- Balapur, Hyderabad, Telangana.
- Why
- The auction is a long-standing Ganesh festival tradition, and devotees regard the laddu as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
- Winning bidder
- Sama Praneeth Reddy
- Winning bid
- ₹39 lakh
- Laddu weight
- 21 kilograms
- Previous bid
- ₹35 lakh in 2025
- Auction history
- The 33rd auction; the tradition began in 1994 with a ₹450 bid
- Participants
- Nine bidders, including local participants and an NRI
- Use of proceeds
- Village development, temple improvements and social welfare activities
- Starting bid
- Reported as either ₹1,016 or ₹1,116 in the articles
