Monsoon sparks diamond rush in Andhra, villagers turn into fortune hunters

In parts of Andhra Pradesh freshly washed fields of Jonnagiri, Tuggali, and Peravali gleam with hidden promise.

Transcript

00:00Rupees 2 crore, that's what a farmer in Andhra Pradesh just made by pulling a diamond

00:04straight out of the mud.

00:06Sounds unbelievable, but it happens almost every monsoon in Karnool and Anantpur.

00:11The rains turn into a season of fortune-hunting as farmers and villagers look for precious

00:15stones hidden in black soil.

00:17When the shawls wash away the earth, glints of diamonds and gems begin to surface.

00:21That's when the rush begins.

00:23Farmers, traders, even students heading out with hope in their eyes.

00:26In Jonagiri, Tugalli and Perawalli Mandals, areas long known for diamond finds, crowds

00:31combed the fields, hoping to stumble upon a life-changing stone.

00:35The hunt peaks in the rainy months across Rayaal Sima when heavy downpours exposed buried gems.

00:40I came to study Telugu history.

00:42I found stones that will both fund my studies and serve research purposes, said Naman, an

00:46archaeology student.

00:47And it's not just folklore.

00:49Recently, a social worker discovered gems worth Rs 15 lakh.

00:53The farmer even allowed others to dig on his land, hoping for a lucky strike.

00:57The tradition runs steep.

00:59Locals say the treasures of Vijayanagara kings once came from this very soil.

01:02Today, they call it diamond farming, digging, washing and sifting through black soil, waiting

01:06for that one glittering find.

01:08And when someone does try gold, or rather diamond, it's not just their win.

01:12Entire villages celebrate.

01:14But the rush has its darker side too.

01:16Syndicates often try to cheat villages out of their finds.

01:19To fight back, some locals now hold small public auctions or even advertise their stones online

01:24to get fair deals.

01:25So yes, it's a diamond rush, but beyond that, it's a story of resilience, of history and

01:30of communities bound together by hope.