NoeMacmillan574 at 16:31, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T16:31:20Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kolar Gold Fields
| other_name =
| native_name_lang = Karnataka
| settlement_type =
| image_skyline =
| image_alt = Metal superstructure of a mine shaft, seen through a fence at ground level
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Karnataka
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Karnataka, India
| coordinates = {{coord|12.962|78.271|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Karnataka]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kolar district|Kolar]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = City Municipal Council
| governing_body = Robertsonpet City Municipal Council, K.G.F.
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 58.1234
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 848
| population_total = 163,643
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Kannada
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 563115 -563122
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 08153
| registration_plate = KA 08
| blank1_name_sec1 =
| blank1_info_sec1 =
| blank2_name_sec1 = Nearest city
| blank2_info_sec1 = [[Kolar, Karnataka|Kolar]], [[Bangalore]], [[Chikkaballapur]]
| blank3_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank3_info_sec1 = [[Kolar Lok Sabha constituency]]
| blank4_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank4_info_sec1 = [[Kolar Gold Field Assembly constituency]]
| blank1_name_sec2 = Avg. summer temperature
| blank1_info_sec2 = {{convert|32|°C|°F}}
| blank2_name_sec2 = Avg. winter temperature
| blank2_info_sec2 = {{convert|12|°C|°F}}
| website = http://www.robertsonpetcity.mrc.gov.in/
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}
[[File:Kolar Gold Fields - 1913.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Kolar Gold Fields, 1913]]
[[File:KGF 008.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=Exterior of a long, white colonial-style building|KGF Club]]
[[File:KGF 005.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=Grey plaque describing construction of the club house|Plaque at club entrance]]
[[File:KGF Taluk COVID Map.pdf|thumb|KGF Taluk Map]]
'''Kolar Gold Fields''' ('''K.G.F.''') is a mining region in K.G.F. [[tehsil|taluk]] (township), [[Kolar district]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]. It is headquartered in [[Robertsonpet]], where employees of [[Bharat Gold Mines Limited]] (BGML) and [[BEML Limited]] (formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited) and their families live. K.G.F. is about {{convert|30|km}} from [[Kolar, Karnataka|Kolar]], {{convert|100|km}} from [[Bengaluru]], capital of Karnataka, India. Over a century, the town has been known for gold mining. The mine closed on 28 February 2001 due to a fall in gold prices, despite gold still being present there. One of India's first power-generation units was built in 1889 to support mining operations. The mine complex hosted some [[Particle experiments at Kolar Gold Fields|particle physics experiments]] between the 1960s and 1992.

==History==
The history of the Kolar Gold Fields was compiled by [[Fred Goodwill]], superintendent of the Police, [[Maldives]] and Kolar Gold Fields. Goodwill's studies were published in the ''Quarterly Journal of the [[Daly Memorial Hall|Mythic Society]]'' and elsewhere.<ref name=Mythic>{{cite journal |title=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society|date=1918|volume=9–10|page=iv, 5, 8, 300|journal=Journal of the Mythic Society}}</ref><ref name=Mystic-Nandi>{{cite journal|last1=Goodwill|first1=Fred |title= Nandidroog |journal=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society|date=1918|volume=9–10|page=300|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mlk4AQAAMAAJ&q=f+goodwill+tamil+bangalore|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Mining Journal">{{cite journal|last1=Goodwill|first1=Fred |title=The Religious and Military Story of Nudydurga|journal=KGF Mining and Metallurgical Society|date=1921|issue=5|ref=Mining Journal}}</ref>

Patrons of [[Jainism]], the [[Western Ganga dynasty|Western Ganga Dynasty]] founded [[Kolar, Karnataka|Kolar]] in the second century CE. For as long as they were in power (nearly 1,000 years) they used the title "Kuvalala-Puravareshwara" (Lord of Kolar), even after they moved their capital to [[Talakadu]]. From Talakadu, the Western Gangas ruled Gangavadi.

Kolar came under [[Chola dynasty|Chola rule]] in 1004. Following their usual naming system, the Cholas called the district Nikarilichola-mandala. Around 1117, the [[Hoysala Empire|Hoysalas]] (under [[Vishnuvardhana]]) captured Talakadu and Kolar and drove the Cholas from the [[Kingdom of Mysore]]. [[Vira Someshwara]] divided the empire between his two sons in 1254, and Kolar was given to Ramanatha.

The Western Gangas made Kolar their capital and ruled [[Mysore]], [[Coimbatore]], [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]]. Around the 13th century, the sage Pavananthi Munivar wrote ''[[Nannūl|Nannool]]'' about Tamil grammar at the Ulagamadhi cave.

Under Chola rule, King [[Uththama Chola]] is said to have built the temple to [[Renuka]]. The Chola rulers [[Virarajendra Chola|Veera Chola]], [[Vikrama Chola]] and [[Rajendra Chola I|Raja Nagendra Chola]] built stone structures with inscriptions at [[Avani, Kolar|Avani]], [[Mulbagal]], and Sitti Bettta. Chola inscriptions indicate the rule of [[Aditya I|Adithya Chola I]] (871–907), [[Raja Raja Chola I]] and [[Rajendra Chola I]] of Kolar, referring to Kolar as "Nikarili Cholamandalam" and "Jayam Konda Chola Manadalam". Inscriptions of [[Rajendra Chola I]] appear on the [[Kolaramma]] temple. Many Siva temples were built in Kolar under the Cholas, such as the [[Someshwara Temple, Kolar|Someshwarar]] and Sri Uddhandeshwari Temples in the village of Marikuppam, the Eswaran Temple in Oorugaumpet, and the Sivan Temple in the village of Madivala. Chola rule of Kolar lasted until 1116. Chola inscriptions have been neglected and vandalised. According to [[B. Lewis Rice]], names and events have been confused.

[[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijaynagar]] rule of Kolar lasted from 1336 to 1664. During the 17th century, Kolar came under [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] rule as part of the [[jagir]] of [[Shahaji]] for fifty years before it was ruled by the Muslims for seventy years. In 1720, Kolar became part of the [[province of Sira]]; [[Fath Muhammad]], the father of [[Hyder Ali]], was [[faujdar]] of the province. Kolar was then ruled by the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]], the Nawab of [[Kadapa|Cuddapah]], the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]], and Hyder Ali. Ruled by the [[British Raj|British]] from 1768 to 1770, it passed again to the Marathas and then to [[Hyder Ali]]. In 1791, [[Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis|Lord Cornwallis]] conquered Kolar in 1791, returning it again to [[Mysore State|Mysore]] in the [[Treaty of Seringapatam]] the following year.

Inscriptions in the region indicate the reign of Mahavalis (Baanaas), [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadambas]], [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukyas]], [[Pallava dynasty|Pallava]], Vaidumbaas, [[Rashtrakuta dynasty|Rastrakutas]], Cholas, Hoysalas and Mysore kings.<ref name=Mythic /><ref name=Mystic-Nandi /><ref name="Mining Journal" /><ref name=Srikumar>{{cite book|last1=Srikumar|first1=S|title=Kolar Gold Field: (Unfolding the Untold)|date=12 March 2014|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=978-1482815078|pages=40–46|edition=International|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QrWEAwAAQBAJ&q=f+goodwill+tamil+bangalore&pg=PA40|access-date=27 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gayatri">{{cite book|last1=Chandrashekar|first1=Gayatri|title=Grit and Gold|date=2015|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=9781482855845|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZV50CgAAQBAJ&q=Rev+Goodwill+Tamil&pg=PT22|access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref> B. Lewis Rice recorded 1,347 inscriptions in the district in the 10th volume of ''[[Epigraphia Carnatica]]''. Of the inscriptions, 714 are in [[Kannada language|Kannada]];<ref name=RiceX>{{cite book|last1=Rice|first1=Benjamin Lewis|title=Epigraphia Carnatica: Volume X: Inscriptions in the Kolar District|date=1994|publisher=Department of Archaeology, Mysore State|location=[[Mangalore]], [[United Kingdom|British]] India|url=https://archive.org/stream/epigraphiacarnat10myso#page/n7/mode/2up|access-date=4 August 2015|page=i}}</ref> 422 are in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], and 211 in [[Telugu language|Telugu]].

John Taylor III acquired a number of mines in K.G.F. in 1880, and his firm (John Taylor & Sons) operated them until 1956; the Mysore Gold Mining Company was a subsidiary. In 1902, the mines were electrified with a {{convert|140|km|adj=on}} cable run by [[General Electric]] from the hydroelectric power plant at [[Shivanasamudra Falls]].<ref name=Meera>{{cite news|last1=Iyer|first1=Meera|title=Miscellany - A time capsule|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/490415/miscellany-time-capsule.html|access-date=7 August 2015|issue=Bangalore|publisher=Deccan Herald|date=21 June 2015}}</ref> The government of Mysore took over the mines in 1956.

=={{anchor|Birth of the city|In popular culture}}Origin of the city==
With the growth of the gold mines requiring more labour, people from the [[Dharmapuri district|Dharmapuri]], [[Krishnagiri district|Krishnagiri]], [[Salem district|Salem]] and [[North Arcot|North]] and [[South Arcot District (Madras Presidency)|South Arcot]] districts of [[Tamil Nadu]] and the [[Chittoor district|Chittoor]], [[annamaya district|Annamaya]] and [[Sri Sathya Sai district|Sri Sathya Sai]] districts of [[Andhra Pradesh]] settled nearby;<ref>{{Cite web|title='KGF' team recreated gold mines from 70's at Real Kolar Gold Field - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/kgf-team-recreated-gold-mines-from-70s-at-real-kolar-gold-field/articleshow/66696105.cms|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2020-05-17}}</ref> the settlements began to form the outskirts of K.G.F. The well-to-do families of British and Indian engineers, geologists, and mine supervisors lived in the centre of town. Robertsonpet and Andersonpet townships are named after two British mine officials.

Aalamaram is a district or ward within Kolar Gold Fields, near [[Palar Nagar]], [[Hanumanthanagar, Kolar Gold Fields|Hanumantha Nagar]], and Officer's Quarters.

The establishment of [[BEML Limited]] expanded the city, providing employment and attracting new residents.

=={{anchor|Kolar National Geological Monument|Pyroclastics & Pillow lavas of Kolar Gold fields}}National geological monument==

The [[Pyroclastic rock|pyroclastic]] and [[pillow lava]] at Kolar Gold Fields have been declared a [[National Geological Monuments of India|National Geological Monument]] by the [[Geological Survey of India]] (GSI) for their protection, maintenance, and encouragement of [[geotourism]].<ref name=gsi1>{{Cite web |url=http://www.portal.gsi.gov.in/portal/page?_pageid=127,529542&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |title=National Geological Monument, from Geological Survey of India website |access-date=21 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712055947/http://www.portal.gsi.gov.in/portal/page?_pageid=127,529542&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL |archive-date=12 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="gsi2">{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=137573|title=Geo-Heritage Sites|date=2016-03-09|website=pib.nic.in|publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]]|access-date=2018-09-15}}</ref><ref name=gsi3>[http://naturalheritage.intach.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Geoheritage-Monograph.pdf national geo-heritage of India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111120428/http://naturalheritage.intach.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Geoheritage-Monograph.pdf |date=11 January 2017 }}, [[Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage|INTACH]]</ref>

==Demographics==
The official language is [[Kannada]], and [[Tamil language|Tamil]] is spoken widely.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language_MTs.html|title=Data on Language and Mother Tongue|website=Censusindia.gov.in|access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref> Most of the Tamil population trace their ancestry to labourers brought by the British from the [[North Arcot]], [[Chittoor]], [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] and [[Dharmapuri]] districts of the [[Madras Presidency]] during the late 19th century.<ref name=Srikumar /> Substantial Anglo-Indian and [[Arcot Mudaliar]] populations are descendants of mine supervisors.<ref name=Bridget/>

=={{anchor|Closing of Kolar Gold Mines}}Mine closures==
The Kolar gold mines were nationalized in 1956, and provided a total of over 900 tonnes of [[gold]]. They were closed by the Indian government on 28 February 2001 for environmental and economic reasons; food, water and shelter were scarce, and production did not justify the investment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://memoriesofkgf.blogspot.com/2014/11/some-important-dates-in-history-of.html|title=Kolar Gold Fields - Nostalgia: Some Important Dates in the History of Kolar Gold Fields|last=White-Kumar|first=Bridget|date=2014-11-21|website=Kolar Gold Fields - Nostalgia|access-date=2019-12-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/old-kgf-mines-can-never-be-reopened/articleshow/57115320.cms|title=Old KGF mines can never be reopened |date=February 13, 2017|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-12-22}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:St. Michael's and All Angels' Church, Oorgaum, KGF.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=Exterior of a stone church|[[St. Michael's and All Angels' Church, Oorgaum, KGF|St. Michael's and All Angels' Church]]]]
In 1901, an English-language primary school was founded by John Taylor and Sons at the Nandydoorg Mine to educate the children of British and European employees. It became known as the [[Kolar Gold Fields Boys School]], and was upgraded to a middle and high school; students took the [[Senior Cambridge]] examinations. The school was co-educational at the primary level.

On 15 January 1904, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tarbes founded an English-language school for Europeans and Anglo-Indians for 22 girls. St. Mary's Boys School was also founded. The boys' school later moved to [[Andersonpet]].

In 1933, the Order of the St. Joseph of Tarbes founded St. Theresa's School in [[Robertsonpet]]; St. Sebastian's School was founded in Coromandel a decade later. Both schools offered English lessons.<ref name=Bridget>{{cite book|last1=White|first1=Bridget|title=Kolar Gold Fields - Down Memory Lane: Paeans to Lost Glory!|date=2010|publisher=Author House|location=Central Milton Keynes|isbn=978-1452051031|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2iFRgQXTbeAC&q=tamil+population+in+KGF|access-date=6 January 2015}}</ref> To educate the growing [[Marwari people|Marwari]] population, the Sumathi Jain High School was founded in Robertsonpet.<ref name=Deccan>{{cite news|last1=White|first1=Bridget|title=Tale of two thriving townships|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/113032/tale-two-thriving-townships.html|access-date=13 January 2015|issue=Bangalore|publisher=Deccan Herald|date=15 November 2010}}</ref> K.G.F. has several schools and colleges, including the St Charles School,<ref>{{cite web |title=St Charles School |url=https://stcharlesschool.edu.in/ |publisher=St Charles School |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref> the [[Government First Grade College, Kolar Gold Fields|Government First Grade College]], KGF College of Dental Science and Hospital, Sambhram Institute of Hotel Management, the [[Dr. T. Thimmaiah Institute of Technology]], and the Sri Kengal Hanumanthaiya Law College, Don Bosco Technical Institute.

==Climate==
{{Weather box
| location = Kolar Gold Fields (1981–2010, extremes 1972–2002)
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 30.5
| Feb record high C = 33.4
| Mar record high C = 38.3
| Apr record high C = 39.7
| May record high C = 38.2
| Jun record high C = 38.5
| Jul record high C = 34.5
| Aug record high C = 33.4
| Sep record high C = 33.7
| Oct record high C = 32.5
| Nov record high C = 31.1
| Dec record high C = 29.9
| year record high C = 39.7

| Jan high C = 26.4
| Feb high C = 29.6
| Mar high C = 32.5
| Apr high C = 34.1
| May high C = 34.0
| Jun high C = 30.8
| Jul high C = 29.6
| Aug high C = 29.0
| Sep high C = 29.3
| Oct high C = 27.8
| Nov high C = 26.3
| Dec high C = 25.1
| year high C = 29.5
| Jan low C = 15.0
| Feb low C = 16.4
| Mar low C = 18.7
| Apr low C = 21.3
| May low C = 21.7
| Jun low C = 20.6
| Jul low C = 20.1
| Aug low C = 19.8
| Sep low C = 19.7
| Oct low C = 19.2
| Nov low C = 17.5
| Dec low C = 15.8
| year low C = 18.8
| Jan record low C = 10.0
| Feb record low C = 10.5
| Mar record low C = 12.4
| Apr record low C = 15.7
| May record low C = 17.5
| Jun record low C = 15.4
| Jul record low C = 17.3
| Aug record low C = 17.1
| Sep record low C = 16.2
| Oct record low C = 13.6
| Nov record low C = 12.0
| Dec record low C = 9.4
| year record low C = 9.4
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 3.5
| Feb rain mm = 3.7
| Mar rain mm = 19.4
| Apr rain mm = 34.6
| May rain mm = 98.4
| Jun rain mm = 77.9
| Jul rain mm = 81.7
| Aug rain mm = 104.6
| Sep rain mm = 212.4
| Oct rain mm = 138.9
| Nov rain mm = 76.7
| Dec rain mm = 27.2
| year rain mm = 879.1
| Jan rain days = 0.3
| Feb rain days = 0.4
| Mar rain days = 1.2
| Apr rain days = 2.4
| May rain days = 5.5
| Jun rain days = 3.9
| Jul rain days = 4.9
| Aug rain days = 6.3
| Sep rain days = 8.0
| Oct rain days = 7.4
| Nov rain days = 5.1
| Dec rain days = 2.2
| year rain days = 47.6
|time day = 17:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| Jan humidity = 49
| Feb humidity = 37
| Mar humidity = 32
| Apr humidity = 38
| May humidity = 48
| Jun humidity = 56
| Jul humidity = 58
| Aug humidity = 61
| Sep humidity = 63
| Oct humidity = 68
| Nov humidity = 67
| Dec humidity = 63
|year humidity = 54
It has a moderate climate

|source 1 = [[India Meteorological Department]]<ref name=IMDnormals>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf
| title = Station: Kolar Gold Field Climatological Table 1981–2010
| work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = January 2015
| pages = 421–422
| access-date = 19 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=IMDextremes>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = December 2016
| page = M98
| access-date = 19 April 2020}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
* [[Hutti Gold Mines Limited]]
* [[Kolar (Lok Sabha constituency)]]
* [[K.G.F: Chapter 1|K.G.F: The movie]]
* [[Panic of 1873]]
* [[Thangalaan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
*[https://pad.ma/grid/title/project==Kolar_Gold_Fields_and_Mines Kolar Gold Fields archival video with annotations]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081105235128/http://www.kolarcity.gov.in/tourism.html Kolar tourism]
*{{PM20|FID=co/053274|TEXT=Documents and clippings about|NAME=Champion Reef Gold}}
*https://kgfarchives.wordpress.com

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Kolar district]]
[[Category:Economy of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Geography of Kolar district]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kolar district]]
[[Category:Underground mines in India]]
[[Category:Gold mines in India]]
[[Category:Mining in Karnataka]]

Kolar Gold Fields - Revision history

NoeMacmillan574 at 16:31, 26 March 2026