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| Devotees to raise the bids | | Will Ganesh ladoo fetch Rs 3 lakhs? | |
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, SEPT. 6: A number of devotees of Lord Ganesh from Delhi and neighbouring Punjab and Haryana States have left for Balapur in Andhra Pradesh to witness an interesting event. After art auctions and land auctions it is time for a laddoo auction.
A village in Balapur on the outskirts of Hyderabad comes together every year for a special auction and the item that is up for grabs is a 21-kilo Ganesh laddoo. Balapur villagers auction Lord Ganesha's favourite delicacy on the 10th day of immersion with the entire village converging at a pandal. Over two-three lakh people assemble at Balapur to witness the auction.
This is a tradition that has been going on since 1994. The laddoo auction starts at a minimum bid of Rs 30,000 and from there on dozens of devotees keep raising the bids. Last year, the highest bid was over Rs 2 lakh.The money raised from the auction is used for developmental activities in the village like building local temples and a school library.
Many also believe this special prasad comes as a blessing to the top bidder -- bringing him prosperity.The money raised from the auction is used for developmental activities. People from all communities participate in this auction, including Muslims. After a week of preparations, the giant laddoo finally gets its finishing touches at a sweet shop in the heart of Hyderabad.
The Balapur laddoo auction is a sterling example of how a simple initiative can help achieve a larger purpose. But for now all the excitement is about guessing what this year's highest bid for the divine delicacy will be. |
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