The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Balapur laddu fetches a whopping Rs. 4.15 lakh

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Wednesday, Sep 26, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Balapur laddu fetches a whopping Rs. 4.15 lakh

Special Correspondent

This is second time Raghunandan Chari, a realtor, bid for the ‘laddu’

HYDERABAD: The Balapur laddu, auctioning of which has become an important tradition of Ganesh festivities and given lot of significance by devotees, this year fetched a whopping Rs.4.15 lakh to the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Committee.

The 21-kg laddu, specially prepared by Agra Sweet House located in Gulzaar Houz near Charminar for the Balapur Ganesh idol, became the prized possession of the highest bidder G. Raghunandan Chari, ex-sarpanch of Balapur and real estate businessman in Tuesday’s auction.

The procession of Balapur Ganesh idol was taken around the village thrice and the main procession along Shalibanda route commenced around 12 noon, only after the Balapur Ganesh joined it. A beaming Raghunandana Chari said that the ‘laddu’ would be distributed to all the residents of Balapur village for their welfare, to the earlier auctioneers and a part of ‘laddu’ would be sprinkled in our land.

It is a popular belief in Balapur village in the old city that who ever emerged the successful bidder would be bestowed with Lord Ganesha’s blessings.

Incidentally, this is second time Mr. Raghunandan Chari successfully bid for the Balapur laddu, last time it was in the year 2000 when he had bid for the ‘prasadam laddu’ for Rs.85,000 and it augured well for the family, reveals G.Vinay, a third year engineering student and son of Mr. Chari.

‘Disputes solved’

“We were bogged down with land disputes. But after my father bought Balapur laddu in the auction last time, the disputes got resolved and the family prospered,” said Vinay. Last year, Ch.Tirupathi Reddy, secured the ‘laddu’ for Rs.3 lakh and before that it was Balapur village sarpanch Ibrahim Sekhar who got it for Rs.2.08 lakh. In 2004, it was a local farmer K. Mohan Reddy who bought it for Rs.2.01 lakh. The ladduuction was also organised at Thimmapur village in Maheswaram mandal, Hyderguda in Rajendranagar and Manchirevula in RR district.

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