Telangana’s Keerthi Richmond Villas Outshines Balapur Laddu, Dedicates Proceeds to Charitable Purposes
Forget Balapur, the Ganesh laddu from Keerthi Richmond Villas in Bandlaguda, Telangana, has set a new record, fetching a staggering ₹1.26 crore in an auction held on September 28. This price for a laddu is the highest ever recorded in India, perhaps the world.
The residents of Keerthi Richmond Villas didn’t just break a record; they shattered last year’s figures. They collectively purchased the laddu in a joint effort, surpassing the previous year’s auction, where their own Bandlaguda laddu fetched ₹60.08 lakh – last year’s Balapur Laddu was auctioned for a comparatively modest ₹24.60 lakh.
“Proceeds from the auction will be dedicated to charitable purposes,” said a resident of Richmond Villas told The Hindu. The funds will be allocated to support voluntary organisations engaged in various welfare activities, adding a philanthropic layer to this sweet tale.
The tradition of auctioning the Balapur Ganesh laddu has been an annual ritual since 1994, initiated by the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi. The inaugural auction saw farmer Kolan Mohan Reddy secure the laddu with a humble bid of ₹450. Fast forward to 2021, the Balapur Laddu was auctioned for ₹18.90 lakh and acquired by Marri Sashank Reddy and Ramesh Yadav.
However, today, the Balapur laddu fetched ₹27 lakh and was sold to Dasari Dayanand Reddy, a resident of Turkyayamjal village.
The Balapur Laddu was expected to witness fierce competition in poll-bound Telangana, mainly from political party leaders. The laddu is believed to bring luck and success in the upcoming elections. Despite these high stakes, the Balapur Laddu could not surpass the new record set by the Bandlaguda Laddu.
The amount received from the Balapur auction is utilised for temple and other developmental works in Balapur.
Insights:
- The Bandlaguda laddu fetched ₹1.26 crore, more than double the combined total of last year’s Bandlaguda and Balapur laddus (₹60.08 lakh + ₹24.60 lakh = ₹84.68 lakh).
- The Balapur Laddu saw a modest increase from ₹18.90 lakh in 2021 to ₹27 lakh in 2022.
- The inaugural Balapur Laddu in 1994 was secured for just ₹450.
- The auction usually lasts 15 to 20 minutes with an upset price fixed at ₹2,100.
- The Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi has been organising this event for 30 years.