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Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) is one of the major gold mines in India and is located in Kolar district in Karnataka close to IT city Bangalore. It is considered as the world's second deepest gold mine.
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A Little History: The existence of the remains of old working had long been known, but it was not until 1873 that any special attention was directed to them. In that year Mr. M.F. Lavelle, a resident in Bangalore , applied to the Mysore Government for the exclusive privilege of mining in the kolar district. His request having been granted., he commenced operations by sinking a shaft near Urigam ( Oorgaum) in 1875, but, finding that large capital would be required for carrying out the work, he, in the following year, with the approval of the Government, transferred all his rights and concessions to the late Major General G. de la Poer Beresford. this officer, with some friends, formed a syndicate known as the Kolar Concessionaries ( since merged into the Gold Fields of Mysore Co.) who took up the matter in earnest, and acquired from time to time the area known as the Kolar Gold Field.
Kolar Gold Fields was the first city in Asia to get electricity from Shivanasamudra in Mysore. People from as far as Bandarlapalle, a village 25 miles from KGF could see the lights of this once prosperous city.
Interesting thing about KGF is that even though it is in the state of Karnataka a majority of people living in KGF are Tamils. When the labour was needed for the work, the local Kannada and Telugu speaking villagers refused to work in the deep pits of the mines , so people from North and South Arcot districts of Tamilnadu were settled in the settlements around the various Shafts. There were three hundrad thousand people living in KGF at its peak production of gold. Since the closing of mines in 2003 the population has reduced to less than a hundred thousand. This city is the best example of the birth, peak and slow degradation of a community.
KGF is the short form of Kolar Gold Fields in Karnataka. Little England ,that’s was what KGF was called by the British, as the weather was so pleasant and the landscape reminded them of their homeland. The reason for the weather to be so pleasant is that the city is on the Deccan Plateau of central and south India, so in reality KGF is about 3000 feet above sea level. One can see the old British bungalows and buildings even today in good shape in KGF.
Gold was mined in the KGF in the 2nd and 3rd century AD, they were nothing more than small pits dug in the ground. During the Chola period in the 9th and 10th century AD gold was mined with a bit more effort and manpower. However big time mining started under the British who started mining with huge manpower and sophisticated machinery in the 1850's, the mining went on relentlessly for hundred years till the independence. KGF played a major part in the prosperity of so called British Empire, it helped in the prosperity of the people of Britain whereas people of India and KGF were robbed of their riches and were left with nothing but poverty. Today the gold mines after 150 years has closed down forever, the mine workers and their families who were dependent on it for livelihood are going hungry without work to do, the city is left on its own now to die a slow death. The days of prosperity are long gone.
After being exploited first by the British and then by the government of India it is the moral responsibility of both to help KGF and its people.
Even today KGF has names reminiscent of the presence of British people there. The two main towns Robertsonpet and Andersonpet are named after two British officers in the mines.
There is a interesting legend about how KGF was so full of gold. The story goes back to the Tretha Yuga, the time of Lord Rama. During his 14yrs 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 KGF. There they set up their hut and living there. 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 about what has happened to his sister so he wanted to take revange on Rama. He sent Maricha in guise of a golden dear to the hut where Rama was living, 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 till they reached what is today KGF. Meanwhile lakshamana worried about his brother went in search of Rama leaving Sita alone in the hut, Ravana in guise of a sage abducts Sita taking advantage of the situation. Rama finally manages 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.
People from different places are settled in KGF today. Majority of them are tamil speaking people from the North and South Arcot districts of Tamil Nadu. There are Telugu speaking people from Kuppam,Ramakuppam, V-kota and other places of Andhra Pradesh.