HYDERABAD: The battle lines were drawn among Chota Bheem, Bahubali, Bala Ganesh, and Little Ganesha on immersion day of Thursday, and their charged-up armies gathered at the battleground Richmond Villas at Bandlaguda, like every year, with their powerful weapons – loads of cash.
Their fight for the laddu drew attention across the state with their combined bid for the auspicious prasadam crossing Rs 1 crore and ending at Rs 1.26 crore.
Unlike other laddu auctions, all the participant groups — four in this case — had to pay the amount they quoted irrespective of the outcome of the auction. The amount thus collected will go to Richmond Villa Diya Charitable Trust.
“Primarily, the idea is to raise funds for charity and we make use of the occasion of Ganesh immersion and laddu auction,” a resident, K. Narasimha Reddy, told Deccan Chronicle. The residents divided themselves into four groups and the auction started with one group quoting Rs26 lakh, another Rs27 lakh, and the third one Rs29 lakh. The winning bid was Rs30 lakh.
Every year these group members will arrive at a figure they can mobilise and accordingly organise the auction. The proceeds first reach the RV Diya Trust run by the residents of the gated community. It is then given to over 5,000 people through more than 20 non-governmental organisations in seven states, according to the trust.
“We also use the fund to meet educational and health needs of children of maids or drivers working in our community,” Reddy said adding that treatment could be provided successfully to heart and cancer patients.
