They Extract Gold From Boli River Risking Their Lives
There are around 250 people from Yamunanagar involved in this risky task for their livelihood.
Published : January 28, 2026 at 4:57 PM IST
Yamunanagar: Boli River, a tributary of the Som River, is famous for yielding gold particles in Yamunanagar of Haryana. It is said that when the river reaches Yamunanagar, which is located on the foothills of the adjoining Himachal Pradesh, the silt brought by it after erosion activity in the hills often carries particles of gold.
There are around 250 people engaged in the extraction of this gold for their livelihood. There are days when they can extract up to 1.5 grams of gold, while they may not get anything for several days.
Those involved in gold extraction disclosed that this vocation becomes very risky during the rainy season, and they put their lives at risk in the hope of getting some gold.
Yamunanagar district lies on the Haryana-Himachal Pradesh border, and the Boli River flows through it on its journey from Himachal. Naresh Kumar, a resident of Manakpur village involved in gold extraction from the riverbed told ETV Bharat, "Ever since I came to my senses, I have been seeing that gold flow from the mountains of Himachal into the Boli River. During the rainy season, the soil from the mountains gets eroded and flows into this river, and it carries gold particles along with the sand. There are many families earning their livelihood by extracting it."
He went on to disclose, "The place where we extract gold is the border of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. People from many villages around here are experts in extracting gold. However, it takes years to learn this skill because sand particles are also shiny like gold. It is very difficult to distinguish between the two. After many years of hard work, we learn to extract gold from sand, and it becomes our livelihood. There are many such villages nearby, in which about 250 people are involved in extracting gold."
Stating that he has been at the job for the last 35 years, Naresh said that he learnt the skill from his father and grandfather. He said that he is the fifth generation of the family involved in this work.
He disclosed that when there is no gold to be found in the Boli River, he goes to the Ganges and Sutlej to extract gold where he works for some months
He explained that those specialising in gold extraction identify the spots where gold can be found. When the water level decreases, and sand and gravel get deposited on the banks, they dig up soil and clean it in water with a wooden tool. "If we see any gold particles in it, then the process of extraction begins," he said.
He said that three to four people go on a boat with specialised tools, and after identifying gold deposits dig the soil for extraction. "The boat has a special mesh made from wooden sticks that is placed on the top. The soil dug is then poured over it. It is cleaned with water for several hours till a handful of black sand and gold is left. This is taken home and mixed with a special spice. It is kept on fire. The spice gets burnt, and the gold gets melted and collected at one place," he said while relating that it is sold at the market price.
Sanjiv Kumar, another person involved in the activity, disclosed that he has been extracting gold for the last two decades after learning the skill for five years. He said the returns are the best during the rainy season as the heavy rainfall in the mountainous region keeps the Boli River flowing allowing him to extract high-quality gold.
He claimed that he extracts up to a gram of gold daily. The maximum extraction by him was 1.5 grams. "But there are some days when I have to return empty handed because the river is flooded," he said while relating that he continues to extract three to four rattis of gold in a day in the winters.
During the rainy season, the Yamunanagar administration issues tenders for gold extraction, and contractors engage those specialising in the job. It is learnt that each person earns Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 daily.
Sanjiv added, "It is a very risky job in the rainy season as excessive water from the hills suddenly flows into the river, damaging the tools and other equipment. Sometimes, even the artisans are swept away. We always risk our lives to extract gold." Although his children don't want to continue this work, he has been doing it for over two decades.
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