Keerthi Richmond Villas Laddu Fetches Rs 2.32 Crore

The Ganesh laddu at Keerthi Richmond Villas in Sun City, Bandlaguda Jagir, Rajendranagar, was auctioned for a record Rs 2.32 crore today.

The laddu weighed 10 kilograms.

This year's laddu price marks an increase of Rs 45 lakh from last year's price, which was about Rs 1.87 crore.

This price is said to be the highest ever recorded in the Telugu States.

Every year, the Richmond Villas residents organise an auction of the Ganesh laddu as part of the festivities. A total of 80 villa owners, divided into four groups, participated in the auction with more than 500 bids. The auction lasted for about two and a half hours.

The funds raised from the auction are used for charitable purposes. The organisers said that the money would be donated to a trust that manages 42 NGOs. Run entirely by volunteers, the trust supports around 10,000 people, and every penny is said to go directly to field-level activities.

The highly sought-after Balapur Ganesh laddu also set a new record this year, selling for Rs 35 lakh during an open auction held just before the Ganesh immersion procession. Lingala Dasharath Goud from Karmanghat emerged as the successful bidder.

The auction was competitive, with 38 participants registering to take part.

In his remarks, Goud expressed joy over his win. He said that he had been participating in the laddu auction for six consecutive years now, and was grateful to finally acquire it this time. He also extended his thanks to the organisers for allowing him to participate in the event.

The police made elaborate arrangements to ensure the peaceful conduct of the auction.