The tiny village of Tapeswaram in East Godavari district, famous for ‘Tapeswaram Kaja’ in the state, has now etched its name for preparing a huge laddu for Vinayaka Chavithi every year. The two confectioners, Sri Bhaktanjaneya Sweets and Suruchi Foods, of Tapeswaram have been preparing the laddus. These are the star attraction at the Ganesh pandals.
The mega laddu kept in the pandal at Pushakara ghat in Rajahmundry is attracting the devotees. Bhaktanjaneya Sweets proprietor Saladi Venkateswara Rao (Srinu Babu) of Tapeswaram, has been preparing huge laddus and offering them to Lord Ganesh every year during Vinayaka Chaturthi festival. As part of it, Srinu Babu prepared 7,200-kg mega laddu this year and offered it to the Lord at the pandal erected by Rajamahendri Ganesh Utsav Samithi and christened it as Samaikyandhra Laddu. In 2011, 5,570-kg laddu, prepared for Suvarnabhumi Developers of Visakhapatnam, entered Guinness Records.
Last year, 6,599-kg laddu was prepared for Rajamahendri Ganesh Utsav Samithi. Ingredients for Samaikyandhra Laddu include 2,200 kg of sugar, 1,800 kg of Bengal gram, 1,800 kg of ghee, 500 kg of jaggery chips, 400 kg of cashew, 300 kg of almond, 10 kg of camphor and 40 kg of elachi. Bhaktanjaneya Sweets entered Guinness Records in 2011, India Book of Records last year and Everest Book of Records, Telugu Book of Records, Wonder Book of Records and World Amazing Record this year.
Srinu Babu said as many as 16 workers wearing Ganesh mala on May 4, started preparing the Laddu on August 7 and completed it in 24 hours. Meanwhile, Suruchi Foods proprietor Polisetti Mallibabu also prepared a huge laddu and offered it to Lord Vinayaka at Khairatabad.
In 2010, he offered 500-kg laddu to Lord Ganesh at Khairatabad, in the following year 2,400-kg laddu, last year it was 3,500-kg laddu and this year 4,200-kg laddu. Malli Babu said 16 experts prepared the laddu. “Along with Khairatabad and Chapal bazaar in Hyderabad, we are supplying the laddu to Ganesh temples in Aynavilli and Biccavolu”, he said.