In a remarkable display of faith and devotion to Lord Ganesh, a 3.25-kg Modak made of mava and dry fruits was auctioned for ₹1.85 lakh at the Khatushyam Mitra Mandal in Ambernath, which has been celebrating Ganeshotsav for the past 33 years.
For the last 15 years, the mandal has specially ordered the Modak from a sweet shop, placing it in the hands of Lord Ganesh two days before visarjan. The Modak, weighing between 2.25–3.25 kg, is considered blessed after being placed before the deity and is then auctioned to devotees.
> “It is believed that the Modak absorbs divine blessings. The winning devotee shares it among others, spreading good fortune,” said Pramod Kumar Chaubey, president of the mandal.
This year, Advocate Anamika Tripathi secured the winning bid of ₹1.85 lakh during the Anant Chaturthi aarti. After the visarjan procession, she distributed portions of the Modak among devotees before taking it home.
Last year, the winning bid stood at ₹2.22 lakh, placed by the wife of Balaji Kinnikar, who went on to win the 2024 Assembly elections from Ambernath for the fourth consecutive term.
Chaubey added that many devotees believe their wishes are fulfilled after winning the Modak. He recalled an incident where a youth, after praying to Lord Ganesh at the mandal, succeeded in a job interview in Andaman and later donated ₹11,000 in gratitude.
