Sunday Story: For Sadahalli villagers, granite turns gold mine

Some 30 years ago, people of Sadahalli earned a living from stone-cutting and agriculture. But today most of the households are into mining and own large homes and luxury cars. The boom started when grape growers from Devanahalli, Hoskote and surrounding areas came to the village looking for stone pillars in their vineyards, reports Aknisree Karthik.

Movies are usually the stuff of dreams. But for once, real life has outstripped reel life in a village near Bengaluru, where   millionaires have mushroomed almost overnight much like in the  1999 Tamil  blockbuster, Padaiyappa. Only the reality is a lot better. While the film saw one man, played by superstar Rajinikanth, chance upon granite on his property and  turn it into a personal fortune, the village of Sadahalli, some 30 km from Bengaluru, has many Padaiyappas to boast of thanks to the granite it is sitting on.

Just 30 years ago the 500 families of Sadahalli made a modest living from farming and stone cutting, but today most of the villagers live in large bungalows and own high- end cars. They are living the good life thanks to the rising demand for the granite mined in the village.  

Recounts Mr Marappa N, a social activist from Devanahalli,  "Some 30 years ago, people of Sadahalli earned a living from stone-cutting and agriculture. But today most of the households are into mining and own large homes and luxury cars."

It  all started after the sudden spurt in demand for the granite mined in the village thanks to the arrival of grape growers from nearby Devanahalli and Hoskote, who came in search of stone for the pillars in  their vineyards and found the granite here best suited to their needs. In some years, especially after 1995, demand for the granite mined in the village grew, especially in Bengaluru and the villagers lost no time in cashing in on the trend.

Several landed  families switched to mining and soon found their cash boxes ringing. Many invested their profits in real estate and other lucrative deals and soon became millionaires, going by the activist.  

For some years the mining was done clandestinely as it was banned by the government. Admitted one resident of Sadahalli, "When the government banned granite mining here after the opening of the Bengaluru International Airport,  just 8 kms from the village,  in 2008, we continued mining illegally for a few years, but now the ban has been lifted and we are in legitimate business again."

Other villagers into mining, were not as willing to speak,  perhaps afraid that anything they said could land them in trouble with the authorities or   trigger an income tax raid.  So for the answer to the question: what is so special about Sadahalli granite, Deccan Chronicle had to speak to Mr Prakash Murugan, director of Bannari Stones in Bengaluru.

"It is one of the hardest and cheapest granites available. Unlike other granite, the Sadahalli granite is maintenance- free," he explained.

Based on the quality of the stone,  one square foot of Sadahalli granite costs between Rs 75 and Rs 100, which is lower than other varieties that cost over Rs 100 a sq. ft.  It’s the middle class that goes for it the most owing to the cost factor. “It gives a rustic look to buildings and lasts longer with zero maintenance,” Mr. Murugan added. Besides being used in flooring, the granite is used to make idols, stone benches, lamps and even flower bowls.