After a tense round of bidding amid cheers from hundreds of the devout, the coveted Balapur Laddu was auctioned for ₹17.6 lakh, about ₹1 lakh more than last year.
The bidding for the 21 kg laddu began around 10.30 am, on the streets of Balapur, which was bursting with devotees. Among the onlookers were a host of politicians including Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy.
In the end, it was a local Balapur man — Kolan Ram Reddy — who won the auction after several rounds of bidding. Apart from locals, people from as far as Nellore participated in the bidding.
Mr. Reddy is a businessman and agriculturist and has a son and a daughter. His extended family has participated in the previous Balapur Laddu auctions.
A triumphant Mr. Reddy then climbed onto the vehicle carrying the Balapur Ganesha. He held aloft the laddu on his head as a mark of reverence. He was garlanded by Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi office bearers including K. Niranjan Reddy.
