The moment a geography teacher had uttered the word 'Kolar goldfields', the whole class went pindrop silent as if waiting to hear something of significance. She continued, "It's a small mining town in Karnataka..." but her voice went a blur, as my imagination had by now taken flight to an actual field of gold.
Getting here~ KGF is 100 km/ 3 hrs drive from Bangalore. There are also KSRTC buses from Majestic bus stand which I imagine would take a bit longer.
Hot Tip~ The trip to KGF can be combined with an Anthargange caving adventure as both places are close to Kolar.
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| KGF (kolar gold fields), Bethamagala farmstay and Avani temples - Road trip from Bangalore (blog) |
Driving through Kolar gold fields
The story of the mining town goes back to the 1800s when a few locals reported traces of gold in the soil, a report was even made to this effect. But it was only from 1875 onwards that the British then took interest in setting up full-fledged mining operations. Messrs John Taylor and sons, a London based British mining company finally began mining here in the 1880s. Little wonder then that the town's demography is mostly European and Anglo-indian.
Today, as we drove through, all we saw was signs of a neglected, dusty mining town. John Taylor and sons had indeed then set up top-class mining operations which were run successfully until 1956 before the mines were handed over to the Government of India. In 1902 it was reported that over 90% of India's gold was mined from none other than KGF. It is hard to ignore signs of the disused mine shafts set by the British company even to this day. There are a few colonial bungalows like the KGF Club with its 12 hole golf course. It's a shame we were unable to see them. Maybe another time...
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| Kolar goldfields is closed since 2001 due to serious environmental factors and low yield |
Why did Kolar gold fields shut down?
As time progressed the mines got a few more km deeper before gold could be extracted, thus making work conditions extremely difficult and hazardous. Plus the yield was far less as compared to the high investment required for mining. Then there was the sudden dip in gold prices. Other factors like water scarcity, serious environmental factors and malpractices contributed to the mines being officially closed in 2001.
Even if gold has lost its sheen, Kolar's volcanic rocks are a geologist's dream and an excellent opportunity for geotourism.
Farmstay at Bethmangala
Bethamangala, is a serene location with a dam and man-made lake just 12 km from Kolar gold fields. The lake was the main water source for the mines when they were operational, and a pleasant getaway for the KGF British staff who spent their leisure hours sailing and recreational activities at the Sailing Club.
Astronomy and star-gazing event from Bangalore
As part of an astronomy workshop event we were hosted at a Farmstay which I think was a great deal. There were many families with eager kids who were seen having a great time here setting up their own tents and playing games. RiSa Astronomy is a Bangalore based astronomy club (they can be found on facebook), that hosts such events around Bangalore. Most farmstays usually provide sumptuous buffet meals, tea/ coffee snacks, and bonfire at night which is fantastic.
Tip~ Kolar-Mulbagal region is a rustic part of Karnataka that has some interesting Farmstays for a weekend with friends and family.
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| Astronomy and star-gazing event from Bangalore |
This was my first astronomy event and a seriously professional one with really big telescopes đź”. The clear sky at rustic locations, far from the polluted city lights are great for star-gazing. All through the night we had the opportunity to see the Milky way and other celestial bodies~ just as one would watch a show at a planetarium.
< Day 2 >
At noon the next day, we had an opportunity to see sun spots and some brief orientation on the sun. After a sumptuous buffet lunch and some rest, we got ready to head back home.
Avani temple detour from Kolar
The earliest history of this region goes as early as 2 CE during the rule of the Western Gangas dynasty. The Cholas, Hoysalas and Vijaynagaras who had considerable influence in South India followed thereafter. There is a wealth of ancient temples around Kolar, Avani and Mulbagal area that are testimony to that era.
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| goddess at ancient Kotilingeshwara group of temples, Avani KARNATAKA |
So we first visited Kotilingeshwara Temple and then a detour to Avani. At the foothills of Avani betta are the ancient Ramalingeshwara group of temples, which is held in high reverence by the local populace. For those who wish to know more, there are few kannada-speaking guides and also signboards with clear descriptions in english, hindi, kannada. We spent some time there relaxing and taking photos before getting on the road to Bangalore.
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| Avani ancient temple, KARNATAKA |
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