The Story of Rediscovery! The first and the only authoritative record on K.G.F regarding occurrence of gold, existence of ancient mines and its rediscovery in the 19th century is found in the ‘Asiatic Annual Register’ for the year 1804 in which adequate information is given by Lt. John Warren R.E. It was on the basis of this record that the modern Goldmining industry at Kolar Gold Field was established. Hence, John Warren is considered the forerunner of modern Goldmining in India. His original report was submitted to the Government of the erstwhile Mysore state (Karnataka) in that year.
The First News at Maarikuppam
Consequent upon the martyrdom of Tippu Sultan and the fall of Srirangapatnam in 1799, the British Government restored the Mysore Princely Province to the wodeyars and there was a need for demarcating new boundaries of that state (Karnataka). The south-eastern boundary was surveyed by Lt. John Warren R.E who was serving His Majesty’s 33rd Regiment of Foot. While on his assignment in 1802, he was camping near Yerrakonda hill about 9 miles east of Budikote and about 5 miles to the south of the present Maarikuppam (then it was a no man’s land and hence was not named). He heard rumours from the locals of surrounding villages that, gold occur in that area. To his astonishment, he also heard about the existence of concealed ancient mine pits being discovered and the local panners exploring them. John Warren moved northwards to the areas (Maarikuppam) referred to by the people to ascertain the truth. The present day township of K.G.F was not in existence at that time, but the area was a bare forest land.
John Warren engaged a few men of the surrounding Worigum and old Maarikuppam villages and did some prospecting work at the spots shown by them. Though the attempt was not altogether a success, he hoped to return some days later and continue further investigations. This wish of him never realized, but his dream of extracting gold was fulfilled by the later day British prospectors. It was Warren’s vital record that drew the attention of many Englishmen to engage in sporadic operations for gold in the next 60 years on this field with no remarkable success.
Asiatic Annual Register – 1804
John Warren’s Investigation (An article in the Asiatic Annual Register—1804)
While surveying the south—eastern border of the erstwhile Mysore state (Karnataka) in February 1802, Lt. John Warren R.E. heard rumours on gold being found in areas a few miles to the north of Yerrakonda hillock. This hillock is located 9 miles to the east of Budikote—a large village in the district of Kolar near which a line of frontier was to be drawn. On having offered a reward to any person who provide information that confirm the occurrence of gold, a cultivator from the nearby small village called Worigum presented himself before the surveyor. He offered him to show the place where gold was to be found and which he asserted was nearer to his village. The same man, shortly after making his assertion re-appeared with a cart-load of gold impregnated earth. He demonstrated before Warren the simple process of washing the mud by panning and separated the powder gold. This induced John Warren to investigate the subject more minutely.
At Worigum (Oorgaum) village
John Warren moved to Worigum village and on his visit, he hired a working party mainly of women who were supplied vaning baskets, broom stacks and hollow board to sieve the gold impregnated earth. They then moved to the adjoining jungle to the west of that village (north of the present day Kennedy’s line). There they gathered earth principally from out of small ruts and breaks in the ground into which the course of water was likely to drive the dust during rainy seasons. After collecting a sufficient quantity of earth, the villagers went to the side of a natural tank and by the usual method of panning separated the metallic contents (iron and gold dust). This was done by placing the hollow board which held the earth until the water overflowed when resting on the ground, then stirring the earth about with hand so as to keep it as much as possible over the centre of the board. This caused the heavier substances to precipitate and the earth to wash off over the edges. Gold was separated from iron dust by inclining the board and with the hand passing water over the metallic sediments which adhered to it. In this method, the heavy weight of gold drives the iron particles before it and settles just at the edge. The dull colour of the mixture now appeared distinct however small the quantity of gold was. Lastly, the process of separating gold from the mixture was done by adding quick silver (mercury) to it. This method was generally lost for want of good management of mercury by the villagers. Still these illiterates performed the processes with utmost success.
At a location near old Maarikuppam village
After spending a sleepless night, next day John Warren received information that, considerable quantity of gold was found in an old mine about five miles south of Worigum village and closer to Maarikuppam village (near the present day Roger’s Camp). On his immediate visit to the place, John Warren was shown the spot from where the ore was said to be extracted. Having descended on the site along with a number of men who gain their livelihood by this unprofitable trade, John Warren soon came across a pit which was nothing more than a sort of a well.
After spending a sleepless night, next day John Warren received information that, considerable quantity of gold was found in an old mine about five miles south of Worigum village and closer to Maarikuppam village (near the present day Roger’s Camp). On his immediate visit to the place, John Warren was shown the spot from where the ore was said to be extracted. Having descended on the site along with a number of men who gain their livelihood by this unprofitable trade, John Warren soon came across a pit which was nothing more than a sort of a well.
It was about 30 feet deep in perpendicular angle to which were driven horizontal galleries that followed the directions of veins of ore. On getting sufficient quantities of ore, John Warren allowed them to separate the gold in their own way. The hired miners simply pounded the ore to powder using mortar and pestle stones found near that site (discarded by the ancients) and washed off the stony substances. In the same way, they cleared the gold dust from mud. John Warren was wondered with the technique the inhabitants of the place adopted in the extraction of gold in their neighbourhood.
His First Attempt
An important part of discovery of gold in this field was the attempt by John Warren to sink a shaft in search of a payable vein! On his arrival at old Maarikuppam (the nearest village to the mine site) John Warren collected a 12 member party consisting 10 members for engaging in ore extraction and 2 for assisting and directing the women whose job was to pound the stone so extracted. The stone which contained the ore was a kind of quartz decayed in many parts and if broken exhibited varieties of colours from deep crimson to bright orange. These colours were the indications of gold and acted as guides in making the selection of rocks. Slowly the villagers started exhibiting their natural colour to the English officer! They pretended to have found by experience that, where the stone breaks without exhibiting any colours but its natural ones, it contained little or no ore. Since the Dorai (Englishman) on the field was a new comer, our good old ancestors (like some of us) fabricated many stories about the occurrence of gold ore and timing of its extraction. They advised the Dorai to wait for Raahu kaala to pass off to commence the work. They also have told him, the tract over which a Peacock has been observed to fly and alight was that of a vein of gold and fix that spot to proceed with their business. “What with the knowledge, the villagers pretended to have possessed on these Gold fields!”—wondered the white-man and… . alas! . . . . the fate of any stranger caught among them. The master simply nodded his head smilingly to go the way they want—A technique of extracting work,—of extraction of gold.
Style-piece
The Peacock bullshit might be true! Perhaps the 19th century Indian Peacocks might have sensed the presence of gold veins below the ground just like our modern satellites!
Community of the Miners and their Work-plan
Those who were practicing surface mining at the time of John Warren’s investigation on this field were people belonging to Dheroo sect of Paraiyar community. These Tamils of scheduled caste claimed themselves the descendants of ancient miners. They engaged in mining activities only during dry seasons. During rainy times the earth was apt to give away resulting in accidents in which many of them have perished of falls. When the workers decide to sink a shaft, around 10-12 men from different villages assembled. They then appoint a Dafedar (headman) whose business was to superintend the work and convert the product into money. Initially they collected little money for buying lamp oil, iron tools, bamboo baskets, broom stacks etc.
After sinking a pit of about 30 ft in vertical depth and reached the veins of ore, they drove horizontal galleries following the veins till they were explored. Two to three men broke the stone below the ground and one examined the worthiness of broken stones. Depending on the depth of the pit, three or four men placed themselves at different heights to convey materials to the surface; some times ropes and pulleys were used for the purpose. Two women on the surface engaged in second examining, grinding the stones to powder and then extracted gold.
When the Dheroo men worked for the government in its well-digging/irrigation works, they received 1 Kantaray Pagoda to three men for one day. This was something less than 4 Madras Panam (money) which was called Milee in Mysore province and they never failed to their employment. This regularity was broken when they do the job of their own since they themselves were their masters. To dig a common sized pit in twelve days by twelve men, the expenses incurred by the sarcar was as follows:
In order to be no losers, the above sum must be realized in 12 days at the least. Surely, they must have had a profit which induced them to continue in such a dangerous and fatiguing job.
Of the 30 Pagodas weight of gold John Warren purchased at different times from different people, a distinct feature he observed was that, two thirds of the quantity of the metal was of a sort extracted from stone identified by its whitish colour. This was due to the metal being mixed-up with dust and alloys; whereas, the gold extracted from the surface earth exhibited an orange colour, rather deep. Circumstances showed, this was a profitable business that could be attended to. For this reason, the inhabitants of Maarikuppam village never ventured into sinking a shaft! They felt that, stirring the surface earth for gold was less laborious, less dangerous and less expensive.
Tippu Sultan—’The Tiger’ on the Goldfield’
On 19th February 1802, John Warren moved to a large village called Bethamangalam about 8 miles north-east of the field. He enquired the Aumildar (head manager of the district and Tahsildar of Bethamangalam) if he had knowledge of gold being mined near the place he was. Bethamangalam at that time was a taluk head quarter. The Aumildar readily replied in positive and added: “Even Tippu Sultan had sent his officer to examine the mines thoroughly at Maarikuppam, but abandoned the plan of mining since after several weeks of study, the officer found the yield just balanced the expenses incurred and no profit derived to the exchequer.”
He further added: “Earlier, Tippu also tried at many places on the western part of the field and extracted some gold through a local agent, but owing to his busy war schedule he could not concentrate on the subject then.” Traces of his attempts were left in the later day Crocker’s shaft of Mysore mine and some areas near Carmichael shaft of Champion reef. These successful modern shafts were commenced on the works of Tippu which in turn were tried on the ancient works. Though the above account coincided with that given by the miners at Worigum, John Warren was not satisfied with the way the Tippu’s officer pursued the subject. To him, the officer never went beyond the limits of these villages during whole of the time he spent while examining the field, thus resulting in imperfect study and failure.
Testing the Paalaar and Ponnaar (Pennaar) River banks
While at Bethamangalam John Warren was told that, gold dust was also found collected on the banks of the Paalaar river near a small village called Bukasaagar (Ramsaagar) about four miles south-east of Bethamangalam. With all these information/observations, John Warren could easily form an hypothesis that, metals found in dust or nugget form on this river bank or bed were driven there by moving streams. Thus, he was led to think the occurrence of gold was not homogeneous to the soils at this area alone, but elsewhere on which this river flew. He believed Paalaar flows on auriferous tracts (gold bearing rocks) eroding, transporting and depositing gold along its banks. On examining the soils on this river banks at different stages of its flow John Warren found that, impregnation of gold was much larger in size than that found at Worigum which were washed by streams.
John Warren’s mind was occupied with the subject of tracing the auriferous tracts on which the river paalaar flew. On completion of the survey work, he returned and met Capt.Wilks—the private secretary to the Lordship and expressed his desire to return to the mine field near Maarikuppam and examine them more vigorously than before. In the interim, he had a chance of meeting the Dewan along with Mr.Webb (the British Resident at Mysore Durbar) when he was assured of being provided any kind of assistance which were within their powers.
John Warren then shifted his camp to Cargoory (Kadugodi) a village on the western bank of river Ponnaar (Pennaar) six miles south of Hosakote near Bangalore. He recollected a story by a farmer in the year 1800: “In the prosperous years, God favoured the Zillah of Kadugodi with ample harvests; grains of gold were now and then found on the ears of paddy which grows under the tank lying north of that village.” This was not given notice at that time and was brushed aside as a mere fabrication. Now John’s mind was taken up with serious inquiries of this sort and on his return to Kadugodi he began to conceive that there might be more truth in that story. First, that the banks of the river Ponnaar might be equally impregnated with gold as that of Paalaar and the plantation cultivated in its vicinity might also carry-up grains of gold in its growth.
John Warren attempted to try the stratum of Ponnaar as well. Since the natives on its bank were ignorant of the method of washing the mud and that, he had no utensils to do the operations, he brought several loads of earth taken from these river banks to Worigum and tried with it. This yield small quantity of gold dust which was sufficient to establish that, both Paalaar and Ponnaar rolled the precious metal in their streams. Were the sources of these two rivers the same? Or, do these two rivers originate and flow over tracts on different regions impregnated with gold? John Warren surveyed the courses of these two rivers to a considerable length and it occurred to him, the gold obtained at these river courses were similar to those collected near Worigum. This generally was found near some small hills consisting of deep red clay, flat at the top and covered with a kind of conker stone that formed cover to those hills. Ponnaar flew over three hilly regions—the Pattendore hills half a mile south-east of Kadugodi, Sattiar near Hosakote and Solovenhally (Solodevanhalli or Chola-devanahalli). Paalaar flows over similar hills towards the centre of Kolar province by which it was confirmed that, the hills of this district were all impregnated with gold. John Warren succeeded in tracing the tracts of these hills with which they connect Yerrakonda hill near Maarikuppam. It was during this long expedition that, John confirmed the gold store from where Paalaar carried its treasure was near Manighatta village about 18 miles north of Maarikuppam.
Findings of the Investigation
At the end of his investigation, John Warren concluded:
1. The length of gold impregnated tract was to be around 45 miles extending north-south beginning with Budikote and end near Ramasandra. The area from where the sample earth collected was 130 sq. miles of which 60 were richly impregnated.
2. A kind of red earth about two feet deep succeeded by white calcarious layer and its under stratum with large decayed stones, the upper stratum degenerated into deep brown earth succeeded by flesh coloured clay, sometimes with beautiful pink appearance contained greatest abundance of gold.
3. On an average, for one grain of gold 180 lb. of earth was taken at random, but by the coarse manner in which the natives extracted it, only two thirds of the contents were realized; therefore, it was safe to take one grain of gold to 120 lb. of earth.
4. As to the quality of the metal Mr.Roebuck, the Mint-master at the East India Company’s Mint at Madras (Chennai) had this to say: “An average 94 touches in 100 i.e., on 100 touches sent in its rude state, 6 touches of base substances were confirmed” which according to that gentleman’s opinion was a very valuable quality. The Mint-master also observed: “The quality of the metal and the extent of the tract in which it is to be found bid in favour of large scale exploitation and may induce the government to pay some attention to it here-after.”
John Warren has also noted: “. . . should we still fancy for the belief that gold occur only on a narrow region? Why can’t the gold veins under the ground near Maarikuppam extend farther beyond its vicinity under the impregnated superior stratum?”
These observations however could only be ascertained by the governments and by the skills of dedicated professionals. This famous discovery of Lt. John Warren firmly established the occurrence of gold in the district of Kolar of Karnataka state He conveniently drew a line from Yerrakonda hill comprising this Goldfield in which he personally was interested to investigate for gold prospecting. Had the gold story not come to the notice of John Warren, he would have definitely omitted this otherwise waste land from inclusion to the territory of Karnataka
Extension of Kolar Schist Belt
The far-sighted vision and forecast of John Warren was demonstrated by the later day British prospectors on K.G.F. They were attracted by his report and started the modern mining on the field. Also, further scientific study on his discovery confirmed the existence of Kolar Schist Belt (into which the famous Champion Gold Lode of K.G.F exists in its undergrounds). This belt run for about 89 kms in north-south direction commencing from Srinivaspur to Krishnagiri through Kolar Gold Field, Chigarigunta and farther. It has a width of 5 kms in east-westerly direction. Beyond north of K.G.F it is covered by laterite and black cotton soil unlike the southern part where the geology is well exposed.
In 1978, a study on the gold mineralization beyond K.G.F indicated a profitable gold occurrence farther north of the area. These areas are: Bettarayaswamy hill area, Jayamangala, Thambarahalli, Huttur, Manighatta, Nayakanahalli, Syagatur, Jaderi and Arikere villages. At the southern extremity are the Mallappakonda and Chigarigunta areas of Andhra Pradesh.
KGF ARCHIVES 