India

My host, Fasi Makki, with Sitaram Mali (white suit), the original finder of Cavansite in Dhoot Quarry in Wagholi.

I made my first - but definitely not last - trip to India in June 2000, and thus can not contribute many personal experiences. It was a great privilege to stay with good friends, Fasi Makki and his family, who took me too see many of the sights around Pune ('sights' equal basalt quarries, what else?). The most important of these was our visit to the quarries producing Cavansite in Wagholi, very near Pune.

Truck with 'horn please' sign near Pune. The truck driver requests, you honk before passing. Everybody does that - requested or not! - making every Indian commute very loud. Being a driver is a desirable position for many poor people, bringing steady pay checks and being far less strenuous than crushing rock in a quarry. Obviously, getting a license is expensive beyond the reach of most, and consequently many professional drivers drive withour a license.

India is a huge country, and you can hardly make any generalisations without ignoring or even denying important features. It is culturally and religiously very diverse, the food is excellent [no, far from all Indian food is hot, yes, Indians do eat cows] and it harbours an incredibly rich history.

Crushing rock in a quarry is manual labour as here in Kuruli Quarry in Chakan Village near (within 100 km) Pune. It is obviously hard labour, but not badly paid by Indian standards.

Drying a drill hole before blasting in Maruti Kabade's Quarry at Junar Village near Pune. This quarry carries Scolecite, Apophyllite, Laumontite, and rarely Stilbite in basalt.

While crushing rock in quarries is work for men, many poor women are employed in road construction, crushing rock by hand, carrying it in baskets and digging holes with a spade. Mechanised tools are for all practical purposes non-existent.

This page is written and maintaned by Claus Hedegaard

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India