<p>It was 1954. While in Class VI, a picture showing people going down in a cage fascinated me, in the lesson <span class="italic">‘Kolarada chinnada ganigalu’.</span> It captivated me. We learnt from Seena, our voluble gang leader that his elder brother just missed getting admission to ‘Mining Engg’.</p>.<p>In those early days, there were only three streams of Engineering - Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical. Mining was a coveted course. On passing SSLC ( Class XI), I chose Mining. SJ Polytechnique had other exotic streams, such as Cinematography, Automobile and Ceramics. </p>.<p>The first-year study covered maths, science, civil, mechanical, electrical, carpentry, and smithy. Boys studied only engineering. The first year was common. Classrooms were crowded. The loudspeaker was installed for mechanical subjects — 200 boys in that class. Taking attendance took a long time. It was discontinued later.</p>.<p>When we went to KGF for a 15-day training, we were divided into batches and put up in vast bungalows. There were three mines — champion, Mysore and Nandidurg. I was sent to the Champion Reef Mine. Earth gets hot as we descend into the mine. In KGF that gradient was one-degree centigrade rise for every 60 feet descent. There were 102 levels, 100 feet apart. It was very hot at the bottom, even with cold air circulation through ducts.</p>.<p>Gifford Shaft, the main shaft was 7,000-feet deep. There were other shallower auxiliary shafts. We were taken to 102 level — the deepest part of the deepest mine in the world! We had to use iron ladders which became very hot, to reach the last three or four levels. Here excavation of gold-containing reefs was being done. We boys wound handkerchiefs on our hands while using hot iron ladders.</p>.<p>We wore headlamps and bamboo hats. Gold specs shimmered in reefs. Rock bursts were a frequent affair. Of course, there were deaths.</p>.<p>At the gold refinery, we were shown a tray of gold dust. We were jokingly told we could take it home if we could lift the tray. No sir. Gold is too heavy. You cannot lift that tray.</p>.<p>As a safety rule, everyone who goes down into the mine has to sign in a register at the shaft. We were unaware of that rule. Two of us went down without signing. We were loitering inside the mine when we came across the Superintendent of the mine. He asked “whoore you” we could not understand. Later, when we came up, the staff scolded us with the choicest of epithets.</p>
<p>It was 1954. While in Class VI, a picture showing people going down in a cage fascinated me, in the lesson <span class="italic">‘Kolarada chinnada ganigalu’.</span> It captivated me. We learnt from Seena, our voluble gang leader that his elder brother just missed getting admission to ‘Mining Engg’.</p>.<p>In those early days, there were only three streams of Engineering - Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical. Mining was a coveted course. On passing SSLC ( Class XI), I chose Mining. SJ Polytechnique had other exotic streams, such as Cinematography, Automobile and Ceramics. </p>.<p>The first-year study covered maths, science, civil, mechanical, electrical, carpentry, and smithy. Boys studied only engineering. The first year was common. Classrooms were crowded. The loudspeaker was installed for mechanical subjects — 200 boys in that class. Taking attendance took a long time. It was discontinued later.</p>.<p>When we went to KGF for a 15-day training, we were divided into batches and put up in vast bungalows. There were three mines — champion, Mysore and Nandidurg. I was sent to the Champion Reef Mine. Earth gets hot as we descend into the mine. In KGF that gradient was one-degree centigrade rise for every 60 feet descent. There were 102 levels, 100 feet apart. It was very hot at the bottom, even with cold air circulation through ducts.</p>.<p>Gifford Shaft, the main shaft was 7,000-feet deep. There were other shallower auxiliary shafts. We were taken to 102 level — the deepest part of the deepest mine in the world! We had to use iron ladders which became very hot, to reach the last three or four levels. Here excavation of gold-containing reefs was being done. We boys wound handkerchiefs on our hands while using hot iron ladders.</p>.<p>We wore headlamps and bamboo hats. Gold specs shimmered in reefs. Rock bursts were a frequent affair. Of course, there were deaths.</p>.<p>At the gold refinery, we were shown a tray of gold dust. We were jokingly told we could take it home if we could lift the tray. No sir. Gold is too heavy. You cannot lift that tray.</p>.<p>As a safety rule, everyone who goes down into the mine has to sign in a register at the shaft. We were unaware of that rule. Two of us went down without signing. We were loitering inside the mine when we came across the Superintendent of the mine. He asked “whoore you” we could not understand. Later, when we came up, the staff scolded us with the choicest of epithets.</p>