Did you know there is a river that constantly carries small particles of gold, and the local people collect these particles to sell as their means of livelihood?
The Manguraha range, part of the Gaunaha block in West Champaran district, Bihar, forms an important section of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), within division 1 of the reserve. A unique river called Pandai originates from the mountains in this area, and it carries tiny gold particles in its waters. The local people living near the river are well aware of this and organise themselves into groups to collect these gold particles, which they sell to sustain their living.
Kailash Oraon, a resident, explained the method of extracting the gold. He mentioned that the river is very shallow, making it easy to separate the gold particles from the stones and sand without needing any machinery. Each group uses a special wooden plate for this process. The pebbles and stones from the water are collected in one place, leaving behind the sand. When the sand is placed on the plate, the gold particles adhere to it. By washing the plate with water, the sand is removed, but the gold particles remain stuck due to their weight. Repeating this process several times throughout the day, the locals manage to gather a few carats of gold dust.
The locals shared that their working hours begin at 6 am and continue until 6 pm. Despite working for 12 hours, they are only able to extract around 3 to 4 carats of gold daily. The gold they collect initially appears as dust, which is taken home, melted in a furnace, and solidified before being sold in the bullion market.
However, the gold collected from the river is sold at a price far below its actual market value. The locals revealed that they receive only Rs 600 to 800 for one ratti of solid gold, which is equivalent to 160 milligrams. Currently, the market value of this amount of gold is around Rs 1,200.
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