Python module being reloaded for each request with django and mod_wsgi
You were likely ignoring the fact that in embedded mode of mod_wsgi or with mod_python, the application is multiprocess. Thus requests may go to different processes and you will see a delay the first time a process which hasn't been hit before is encountered. In mod_wsgi daemon mode the default has only a single process. That or as someone else mentioned you had MaxRequestsPerChild set to 1, which is a really bad idea.
I have a variable in init of a module which get loaded from the database and takes about 15 seconds. 
For django development server everything is working fine but looks like with apache2 and mod_wsgi the module is loaded with every request (taking 15 seconds).
Any idea about this behavior? 
Update: I have enabled daemon mode in mod wsgi, looks like its not reloading the modules now! needs more testing and I will update.