The early rains in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh have turned into a season of fortune-seeking for farmers and villagers in Kurnool and Anantapur districts, where hunting for precious stones, including diamonds, has intensified alongside kharif cultivation, PTI reported.
Rain-washed lands in Jonnagiri, Tuggali, and Peravali mandals, long known for diamond discoveries, are drawing villagers, traders, and outsiders eager to test their luck this season, according to PTI.
“Even if you pick a stone, it may turn your fortunes,” Bharat Palod, an entrepreneur from Mahabubnagar district in Telangana, told PTI, adding that stories of ordinary farmers turning millionaires and billionaires fuel widespread interest in the region.
Palod said the precious stone hunting has changed his life. “I found my first piece in 2018 and this year I sold one for ₹8 lakh,” he said.
Deepika Dusakanti, a social worker, recalled how she previously sold a diamond for ₹5 lakh to fund education of underprivileged children. “This year’s discovery worth ₹10 lakh will again go for students’ benefit,” she told PTI.
Naman, an archaeology student, said, “I came to study Telugu history. I found stones that will both fund my studies and serve research purposes,” he told PTI.
A farmer from Chittoor, Godavariamma, said she travelled to Jonnalagiri after watching videos of diamond discoveries. “Though I came late, I will continue searching. If I find one, it will support my family’s needs,” she said.
Kurnool DIG Koya Praveen told PTI that folklore about diamonds in Kurnool and Anantapur districts persists. “People migrate for work, return during the monsoon, and harvest diamonds. No crimes have been reported despite high sums involved,” he said.
According to him, villagers claim the lands as their own and sometimes resist outsiders entering, yet “no major disputes or criminal incidents” have been reported so far.
This season, reports of multiple high-value diamonds have renewed excitement. Venkateshwara Reddy, a farm worker in Peravali village, reportedly sold a diamond for ₹15 lakh to a local trader, PTI reported.
P Bajranglal, a landowner in Anantapur district, said he owns over 40 acres where villagers search for diamonds and he has no objections. He told PTI his family even provides water and food for seekers. “If these diamonds bring happiness to others’ lives, I fully support it,” he said.
Srinivasulu, a farmer from Maddikera mandal in Kurnool district, discovered a rare diamond which was said to have been sold for ₹2 crore to a trader syndicate, making headlines across the region. Officials told PTI this was the most valuable diamond discovered so far this year.
In Tuggali mandal’s Lower Chintalkonda village, Prasanna, a woman farmer, found a shiny stone while ploughing her fields. After tense negotiations, she sold it for ₹13.5 lakh to a local trader, villagers told PTI. The sale brought cheer not just to her family but to the entire village, inspiring others to resume digging in rain-washed fields.
Diamond hunts traditionally peak during the rainy months in Jonnagiri, Pagidirai, Erragudi and Upparlapalli regions of Rayalaseema as heavy rains expose buried stones, spotted by those combing black soil fields, according to PTI.
Despite some success stories, most villagers return empty-handed. Yet the occasional jackpot keeps thousands motivated to try their luck every year.
Farmers and locals alleged that syndicates often exploit them by offering low prices for stones, citing doubts about quality or threatening legal action to force down rates. In recent years, some locals have resisted by holding small public auctions or advertising their finds on social media to secure better deals, PTI reported.
Authorities don’t regulate sales, while locals insist the government should intervene to ensure fair pricing. “This is our seasonal livelihood. If the government can fix a minimum price for agricultural produce, why not for diamonds?” Srinivasulu asked.
Officials acknowledged that the trade occurs informally and without a regulatory framework, making intervention difficult. Still, calls for a system of checks are growing stronger.
The region’s diamond culture is steeped in history. Folklore traces discoveries back to centuries ago, when diamonds from Rayalaseema reportedly made their way into royal treasuries of Vijayanagara kings, PTI noted.
Even today, villagers describe diamond hunting as part of their seasonal rhythm. Families return home during the rains after migration for work to try their luck in fields, treating the activity like “diamond farming.” They spend hours digging, washing soil, and combing through stones in hopes of uncovering prized gems.
Despite concerns over exploitation and unregulated trade, diamond hunting remains a unique seasonal tradition of Anantapur and Kurnool districts—driven as much by chance and folklore as by persistence in harsh terrain.
