Simpler Times: Recollections of life in Hutti Gold Mines - Part II

 Social life

Despite the demanding nature of their work, the miners of Hutti lead a simple and modest lifestyle. The company provided basic accommodation and essential amenities for the workers and their families.
Officers spent their evening hours in the club, playing cards, shuttle badminton, tennis, snooker, or in the hot summer months, drinking beer. The general manager, a gentleman of British origin, used to be present on most days. I was told that he was a strict disciplinarian with regards to dress code for evening hours, no slippers or sandals for the gentlemen! He retired in 1977 and shifted to Bengaluru to spend his retirement in peace.

Picture of HGM Officers with GM: 1976 (Officers Club seen in the background)

 

 

Picture of the Officers Club: Jan 2020

For the rest of the employees, the HGM Sports Institute was the place where they could play badminton, table-tennis and outdoor games like volleyball.

Weekends

 

Almost everyone looked forward to the weekend with great enthusiasm, chiefly because of the tradition that enhanced the entertainment quotient on those two days. On Saturday nights the Officers' Club hosted screenings of Hindi or English movies. Sundays, on the other hand, offered a more community-based experience, as open-air screenings were arranged out for the wider community. Amidst the open grounds opposite the co-operative stores, individuals and families gathered together, each with their own seating arrangements to enjoy the movies in the dark. This ritual provided the miners a much-anticipated respite from their daily routine. 

 

Sports

 

There were several clubs or groups formed by the miners and the youngsters to cater to their sporting inclinations. Cricket, hockey, football, and volleyball thrived and formed an important part of the community's recreational life.  

Several social activities and sports events were organized regularly to foster a sense of community spirit. These activities included Safety Week celebrations, Competitive Sports, Dasara / Diwali / Christmas and New Year celebrations. The roles of Santa-Claus and Old Man were always played by my classmate ES’s father.

 

Picture of the Ladies group with GM: Maybe from 1972

 

 
The inter-department sports day on January 26th was most eagerly awaited by all employees and family members. It had a festive atmosphere for both participants and spectators. You had to be there to experience it! I just don’t have enough words to describe the atmosphere. I must make a mention of the march-past that used to take place before flag hoisting; the marching contingents of all departments, followed by the school bands. KK, one of my classmates, was the school drummer during this period (late 1970’s).
The events include the regular athletic 100M dash, 200M, 400M, 800M, 1600M (1mile race) and the 3-mile marathon, in which runners were taken by truck to Mednapur, from where the race began and ended after one round on the sports ground. Other lesser-known sports like tug-of-war, pillow fight, discuss throw, etc were also widely anticipated. If I recollect correctly, the engineering department always stood first, closely followed by the underground department.

In contrast, the Independence Day celebrations were quieter, with just flag hoisting followed by service award ceremony for the miners. The award was more of a mark of prestige than of monetary value; consider this – after 25 years of service, all that the person got was a wristwatch!
 

I am still using the watch which my dad received as an award for long service. Here is a picture of the watch.

Forever in our hearts

 

The winds of change have swept through Hutti Gold Mines. Today, it extends beyond the mining community, and plays an important role in the local economy, providing employment opportunities and contributing to the development of the region. In fact, my classmates, RA and AS are now successful professionals in Hutti. Another classmate, PV, now runs a successful transport company in Kerala.

The old days have long gone, and all we have is memories, binding us to our roots and reminding us of our past.  Despite being brought up in a small village, what we achieved stands as a testament to the influence of the good teachers and education that we were fortunate to have during our formative years.

This post is to appreciate the resilience, grit, determination, and a strong sense of community of our parents and relatives who dedicated their lives to extract gold from the depths of the earth.
 
As I look back, I am reminded of the preciousness of time, the weakness of human memory and transience of our existence. I hope that I can find the time and words to capture more of those memories on paper.

 

Thank you for reading!