Kolar Gold Fields
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Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) is one of the major gold mines in India and is located in the Kolar district in Karnataka, close to the city of Bangalore. The mine is considered the world's second deepest gold mine.
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[edit] History
Gold was first mined in the area in the 2nd and 3rd century AD by the digging of small pits. During the Chola period in the 9th and 10th century AD the scale of the operation grew, but large-scale mining only came in the 1850s under the British with more manpower and sophisticated machinery. In 1873, M.F. Lavelle, a resident in Bangalore, applied to the Mysore Government for the exclusive privilege of mining in the Kolar district. His request was granted and he commenced operations by sinking a shaft near Urigam (Oorgaum) in 1875, but, finding that large capital would be required he, in the following year and with the approval of the government, transferred all his rights and concessions to the late Major General G. de la Poer Beresford. Major General Beresford formed a syndicate known as the Kolar Concessionaries (now merged into the Gold Fields of Mysore Co.) which took up the matter in earnest, and gradually acquired the area known as the Kolar Gold Fields.
[edit] Birth of the city
The local Kannada and Telugu speaking villagers refused to work in the deep pits of the mines and so people from the North and South Arcot districts of Tamilnadu were settled around the various Shafts and a city was born.
Even today places in the area have names reminiscent of the presence of British people there - the two main towns Robertsonpet and Andersonpet being named after two British officers in the mines.
[edit] Legend
There is a legend about why the Kolar Gold Fields are so full of gold. The story goes back to the Tretha Yuga, the time of Lord Rama. During his 14 years of vanavasa, Rama along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana wandered through the dense forests of the present day Avani village, which is about 10 miles from the gold fields, where they set up their hut and lived. Surpanaka, sister of Ravana, one day happened to see Rama and asked him to marry her. He refused, as he was already married, so she approached Lakshmana, who got angry with her and cut off her nose.
Ravana was angry when he heard what had happened to his sister and he wanted to take revange on Rama. He sent Maricha in the disguise of a golden deer to the hut where Rama was living and Sita was so attracted to the golden deer that she asked Rama to get it for her. The deer, being a magical one, eluded Rama for a long time until they reached what is today the Kolar Gold Fields. Meanwhile Lakshamana, worried about his brother, went in search of Rama, leaving Sita alone in the hut. Ravana, in the disguise of a sage, abducted Sita, taking advantage of the situation. Rama finally managed to kill the golden deer and according to the legend, the remains of the deer spread over a large area, which is the reason for presence of gold in KGF.
[edit] Demographics
Although the Kolar Gold Fields are in the state of Karnataka, a majority of the people living there are Tamils, which is unusual for the state of Karnataka. Three hundred thousand people lived in the Kolar Gold Fields at its peak production, but since the closing of mines in 2003 the population has reduced to less than a hundred thousand.
[edit] People and culture
People from many different places are settled in the Kolar Gold Fields today, with the majority of them being Tamil speaking people from the north and south Arcot districts of Tamil Nadu. There are also Telugu speaking people from Kuppam, Ramakuppam, V-kota and other places in Andhra Pradesh apart from the Telugus of Kolar district.
Given the mixture of population, many festivals are celebrated; the most famous and popular one being the Lakshmi Venkateshwara Jaatre.The mining hospital has distinction of the best hospital in whole of Kolar district. A Godess temple that situates near by hospitl is famous which has legend that it was built by British personnel. The Hospital is recognized for occupational disease treatment. The Gold Company which is known as Bharat Gold Mines Limited has come out of various combination and permentations. The company has record chairman such as Morarji Desai as chairman of this company and some of the erstwhile chief Ministers of Mystore state as chairmen.
[edit] Trivia
- Kolar Gold Fields was the first city in Asia to get electricity from Shivanasamudra in Mysore
- People from as far as Kolar could see the lights of this once prosperous city
- KGF was known as "Little England" by the British, due to its more temperate weather and a landscape more similar to Britain's
- The city is on the Deccan Plateau of central and south India, about 3000 feet above sea level
- One can see the old British bungalows and buildings even today in good shape in KGF
- KGF has been in the news recently in connection with the murder of S.Manjunath, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) manager who was killed for doing his duty. He was from Vivek Nagar.
- KGF played a major part in the prosperity of the British Empire
- A collaboration of particle physicists from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, Osaka City University, Japan and Durham University, UK recorded the first cosmic ray neutrino interaction in an underground laboratory in KGF mines in 1965.
[edit] Places of interest in and around KGF
- Mulbagal
- Guttahalli
- Kotilingeshwara
- Kurudumale
- Avani
- Budikote
- Bethamangala
- Bytarayappana Betta
- Bangarpet
- BEML Nagar: a residential area in Kolar Gold Fields. It is made of mostly living quaters for the employees of the BEML factory branch in KGF. The BEML factory is one of the three branches in Karnataka. The other two being in Bangalore and Mysore. Beml Nagar is known for its greenery, well planned quaters and good roads.
- King George Hall
- Champion Reefs
- Robertsonpet
- Golden Valley Institute Of Technology
[edit] Some famous people from KGF
- S.Manjunath - IOC official killed on duty
- S.Rajendran - MLA
- Bakthavatsalam - Former MLA
- Dr M.Nagappa
- Dr Rajendra Kumar
- Dr A.V.Bhat
- Thangam- Notorious Criminal
