Ballarshah and the Mines!

Before heading to the festival north in Chandigarh (Punjab), John and I spent a couple days at his grand parents house in the small town of Ballarshah. Although the locals call it a city....

The main industries, as you'll see from the pictures are the coal mines and the paper mill (although rumor has it there is a small, but steadily growing IT section...) Anyway, since his Uncle works as a Motor Grader in the open-cast mine, he was generous enough to show me around where he works. And as a treat... he knows some people in the close-cast mine. So down we went into the mines.

It wasn't the greatest feeling when about half way down the 170 meter long elevator hole they told me, "you know, this history of this mine is old. This elevator was built when the British were here." That means the elevator has to be over 62 years old. Holding 6 (on the way down, 12 on the way up) men. It could only happen in India. Here are some pictures:

And once again, as annoying as blogger is, the pictures are in opposite chronological order. So if you want to see them in the correct order - start from the bottom.

After the mines....

Where they moved the carts of coal back and forth. Straight ahead is the elevator to move them up in and out of the mine.

The long journey down....

The Forman's friend, the forman, and John's Uncle.

Behind them is the elevator that transports the coal wagons.

Uncle's machine, the motor grader

Open-cast mine, you can see all the coal at the bottom

The house.

This is from the middle of the courtyard looking towards the old store. Beyond that building is the street. Behind me is the main house where everything is.

View from the back of the house.