The laddu of health, wealth and prosperity

The auctioning of the laddu began in 1994 with the first winner buying the laddu for Rs 450. The tradition continued year after year, and once the auction began reaching thousands, the initial bid amount was set at Rs 1,116 by the Balapur Ganesh Utsava Samithi.

This first auctioning in Balapur, led to the ‘Laddu Bidding’ as a mandatory ritual across Ganesh mandaps nationwide. The bidding is flanked by heavy competition as people believe that the laddu brings health, wealth and prosperity for the bidder. Religion is not a barrier when it comes to the bidding of the Balapur Laddu. Even Muslims participated in the bidding in 2000, 2001 and 2002 because of the belief in the prosperity the Laddu brings.

Kolan Mohan Reddy is one of the bidders who always looks forward for the event. He has bought the laddu maximum number of times and is infact the first one to win the auction in 1994. He became so associated with the Balapur Laddu that, he is now christened Laddu Mohan Reddy.

Mohan recalls how the process of auctioning began for the Balapur Laddu, “My close friend Darshan Reddy and I were active members in Balapur Ganesh Ustav Committee. Every year we used to offer laddu to Lord Ganesha in the 11-day festival, but either on the 9th or 10th day of the festival, someone used to steal it. There was immense competition among everyone to make an opportunity to walk away with the laddu. As the laddu was stolen every year, in 1994, amidst tight security for the laddu, we decided to auction it on the final day of the festival before immersion of the idol,” says K Mohan Reddy. That’s how the auction for Balapur Ganesh laddu began. “

Mohan used to grow vegetables in his fields. His life changed dramatically after he bought the Ganesh laddu for the first time, against his family’s wish. “Darshan and me competed well to bid for the laddu. The auction began at Rs 101 and I bagged it for Rs 450. It brought a sea change in my life. After purchasing it, I distributed it amongst my family members, neighbours and sprinkled the rest on our fields. Before I bought the laddu, we had meagre yield every year, but after purchasing the laddu, the yield increased drastically and each day we had a business of Rs 3000-4000,” adds Mohan Reddy.

When asked about how Balapur laddu got famous all over the state, he relates, “NAC Brinjal seeds were new in the market and everyone were against buying it. But I bought them and cultivated the seeds by mixing some amount of laddu in it. That year the yield was very good and everyone thought it was because of the laddu I bought and news spread like a wild fire in the village and everywhere else in the state.” Interestingly, of the 19 auctions held so far, Kolan’s family has bought the laddu eight times, of which Mohan Reddy has bought it five times.

The faith in the laddu is unflinching. Another person Kalem Venkat Reddy who bought the laddu for Rs 66,000 in 2003 says, “We had little dissonance at home; but after we purchased the laddu, the entire scenario changed. My father’s long pending wish, to re-build a Hanuman Temple that was left untouched for several years, was fulfilled too.”

For others, the laddu gave a new life. “My younger brother was not blessed with children even after five years of marriage. On the advice of my mother, we decided to purchase the laddu and bought it for Rs 1.55 lakh in 2004. The following year, my brother had a baby boy and at the same time his business also prospered,” says Chigirintha Pedda Bal Reddy.

This year, Uma Maheshwara Rao, a business man from East Godavari district donated 21 kg laddu to the Ustav Committee. With growing popularity for Balapur laddu each year, there is a huge increase in the amount for biding and bidders. “Anybody can register for Rs 500 and take part in the auction. If there are tough competitors, the amount will also increase. This time we are expecting about 15-20 bidders. If non-locals (people who don’t reside in Balapur) bag the auction, they will have to pay cash on the spot, while for local people, one year time is allotted to pay the cash,” says K Niranjan Reddy, President, Balapur Ganesh Ustav Committee.

Since 1994, Rs 27.78 lakh was generated through auctioning of the laddu. With that money, the Balapur Ganesh Committee has re-built a Hanuman Temple in the village, and took up social activities. “Money generated through chandas (funds) will suffice for the festival. The amount which comes through auctions is used for developing the village, like we built a shed for a government school in the village,” adds President, Balapur Ganesh Ustav Committee.