Stones of India

Last updated

A pristine historical stone in Mahasthangarh, Bogra, Bangladesh A pristine historical stone in Mahasthangarh,Bogra, Bangladesh.jpg
A pristine historical stone in Mahasthangarh, Bogra, Bangladesh

India possesses a wide spectrum of dimensional stones that include granite, marble, sandstone, limestone, slate, and quartzite, in various parts of the country.

Contents

The stone industry in India has evolved into the production and manufacturing of blocks, flooring slabs, structural slabs, monuments, tomb stones, sculptures, cobbles, pebbles and landscape garden stones.

Tradition of stones

India's history, dating back to 3200 BC has been influenced considerably by the disposition, development and use of stones and other construction materials. Dimension stones have also left deep imprints on the architectural heritage of the country. Innumerable temples, forts and palaces of Ancient Indian Civilisation have been carved out of locally available stones. The Taj Mahal at Agra was constructed from Indian marble. [1] Some of the rock-cut structures include Khajuraho Temple, Elephanta Caves, Lomesh rishi caves, Ellora caves and Konark Temple.[ citation needed ] Besides, all major archeological excavations have revealed exquisitely carved statuettes and carvings in stone. Ancient Buddhist monuments like the Sanchi Stupa of 3rd century BC have also been carved out of stone.

This tradition of Stone Architecture has continued to the present era, with most of the important modern buildings in India like the Presidential House, Parliament House, and Supreme Court made from high quality sandstone of Rajasthan. The Bahá'í House of Worship of New Delhi stands testimony to the relevance of marble in modern Indian architecture.

Stones are still the mainstays of civil construction in India, with stones being used extensively in public buildings, hotels, and temples. It is increasingly being used in homes, with the use of stones now penetrating amongst the growing middle class of India.

The success of commercial stone industry solely depends upon defects in rock/stone. Natural defects in ornamental/commercial rock deposits adversely affect the quality of rock deposit. detection of natural defects in decorative and dimensional stone industry play vital role in the quality assessment.

India is pioneer in exploration and mining of commercial rock deposits and in establishing a firm base for stone industry. India, with an estimated resource of about 1,690 million cubic metres, comprising over 160 shades of Dimension Stone Granites (DSG), accounts for about 205 of the world's resources. Of the 300 varieties being traded in the world market, nearly half of them are from India. Commercially viable granite and other rock deposits are reported from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and others.

Deposits

Marble

Marble was used for building tombs, temples and palaces. For a time it was considered as Royal Stone. It is, however, now used in hotels and homes too. There are many varieties. [2]

Granite

India has varieties of granite in over 250 shades. As of 2005, Granite reserves in India was 37,426 million cubic meters and ranked fifth in the export of processed product. Resources are found in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. [4]

Sandstone

Red and beige Dholpur stone tiles Dholpurstonered44(2).jpg
Red and beige Dholpur stone tiles

Sandstone reserves in India are found over the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Karnataka, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Over 90% of the deposits of sandstone are in Rajasthan, spread over the districts of Bharatpur, Dholpur, Kota, Jodhpur, Sawai-Madhopur, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Bikaner, Jhalawar, Pali, Shivpuri, Khatu and Jaisalmer.

India is among the leading countries when it comes to mining and export of sandstone. Sandstone from India is available in different colors for interior as well as exterior use. Sandstone products from India include names like Tint Mint, White Mint, Mint Fossils, Modak, Agra Red, Rainbow Sandstone, Raj Green, Teak, Buff Brown, Dhoplur Chocolate, Beige, Dholpur Pink, Lalitpur Pink, Mandana Red, Jodhpur pink, Jodhpur red, and Jaisalmer yellow.

Slate

Slate reserves in India are found in Rajasthan , Behror, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Deposits in Rajasthan are spread over the districts of Alwar, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Pali, Udaipur, Churu, and Chittorgarh.

Few important names in slate are Jak Black, Silver Shine, Silver grey, Panther, Deoli Green, Peacock, Peacock Multi, Kund Black, Kund Multi, and so on. Being to some extent fragile in nature, it is good for interior use only and can be used in even as a washboard.

Flaggy limestone

Kotastone of Kota district and Yellow Limestone of Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan are the prime limestone occurrences in India. Other deposits include the Shahabad Stone of Gulbarga and the Belgaum districts of Karnataka, Kadappa Stone of Kadapa, Kurnool and the Anantapur & Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, Milliolitic Limestone from Saurashtra Region, Gujarat, and 'Yellow Limestone' of Kutch district of Gujarat, amongst others.

Limestone deposits

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana put, together, possess 32% of the country's total reserves of limestone. World-renowned Narzi limestone is available in Kadapa district. Commercial grade limestone deposits are being exploited from Bethamcherla, Macherla, Neereducherla, Tandur, ((shahabad)), Mudimanikyam of Kurnool, Guntur, Anantapur, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda districts are widely used in our country for paneling, and flooring purposes. Sullavai limestone of Karminagar and Warangal districts, massive limestones of Mudimanikyam, Nalgonda districts. Total India's limestones are estimated about 93,623 million tonnes. Limestones are extensively utilized for the manufacturing of cement and also building stones, particularly flooring, and roofing.

Other dimensional stones

There are some other dimensional stones being quarried and used in consumption, in addition to the dimensional stones already detailed above. Laterite bricks are quarried in huge quantities and are utilized as bricks in the construction of houses and for pavements in the states of Orissa, Karnataka, Goa, and in other parts of coastal states. The felspathic sandstone occurring with the coal seams as overburden is also used as building stone. The huge deposits of basalt in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat have been used as building stones since ancient times. Other quartzitic bands, occurring with phyllites and schists, are also utilized for building purposes. Khondelites from the Eastern coast are being used widely in sculptures and as a building material. Felsite from Karnataka is being extensively used as a dimensional stone as well. India also contains many stones which are semiprecious like zoisite, apophyllite, cavansite, muscovite mica, almandine, etc.

See also

Mining in India

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajasthan</span> State in northwestern India

Rajasthan is a state in northwestern India. It covers 342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi) or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus River valley. It is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest. Its geographical location is 23°.3' to 30°.12' North latitude and 69°.30' to 78°.17' East longitude, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through its southernmost tip.

Tourism in India is 4.6% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Unlike other sectors, tourism is not a priority sector for the Government of India. The World Travel and Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated 13.2 lakh crore (US$160 billion) or 5.8% of India's GDP and supported 32.1 million jobs in 2021. Even though, these numbers were lower than the pre-pandemic figures; the country's economy witnessed a significant growth in 2021 after the massive downturn during 2020. The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7.8% to 33.8 lakh crore (US$400 billion) by 2031. India has established itself as the 5th largest global travel healthcare destination with an estimated market size of around $9 billion in 2019, out of the total global travel healthcare industry of $44.8 billion(2019). In 2014, 184,298 foreign patients travelled to India to seek medical treatment.

<i>Haveli</i> Traditional house in the Indian subcontinent

A haveli is a traditional townhouse, mansion, or manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word haveli is derived from Arabic hawali, meaning "partition" or "private space", popularised under the Mughal Empire, and was devoid of any architectural affiliations. Later, the word haveli came to be used as a generic term for various styles of regional mansions, manor houses, and townhouses found in the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhatri</span> Elevated, dome-shaped pavilions in Indian architecture

Chhatri are semi-open, elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. They are most commonly square, octagonal, and round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geology of India</span>

The geology of India is diverse. Different regions of the Indian subcontinent contain rocks belonging to different geologic periods, dating as far back as the Eoarchean Era. Some of the rocks are very deformed and altered. Other deposits include recently deposited alluvium that has yet to undergo diagenesis. Mineral deposits of great variety are found in the subcontinent in huge quantities. Even India's fossil record is impressive in which stromatolites, invertebrates, vertebrates and plant fossils are included. India's geographical land area can be classified into the Deccan Traps, Gondwana and Vindhyan.

Banswara is a city in the Banswara district in southern Rajasthan, India. The name, Banswara, came from king ‘Bansiya Bhil’.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantonment</span> Military residential quarters, temporary or permanent

A cantonment is a military quarters. In Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and other parts of South Asia, a cantonment refers to a permanent military station. In United States military parlance, a cantonment is, essentially, "a permanent residential section of a fort or other military installation," such as Fort Cavazos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajsamand</span> City in Rajasthan, India

Rajsamand is a city, located in Rajsamand Mewar district of Rajasthan, India. The city is named for Rajsamand Lake, an artificial lake created in the 17th century by Rana Raj Singh Rajsamand Udaipur of Mewar. It is the administrative headquarters of Rajsamand District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerusalem stone</span> Type of pale building stone

Jerusalem stone is a name applied to various types of pale limestone, dolomite and dolomitic limestone, common in and around Jerusalem that have been used in building since ancient times. One of these limestones, meleke, has been used in many of the region's most celebrated structures, including the Western Wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Rajasthan</span>

Rajasthan is a mineral-rich state and has a diversified economy having agriculture, mining and tourism as its main engines of growth. The state mines produce gold, silver, sandstone, limestone, marble, rock phosphate, copper and lignite. It is the second-largest producer of cement and contributes one tenth of the salt produced in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of India</span>

The following outline is provided as an overview of, and topical guide to, India:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Rajasthan</span> Overview of Rajasthans culture

The culture of Rajasthan includes many artistic traditions that reflect the ancient Indian way of life. This historical state of India attracts tourists and vacationers with its rich culture, tradition, heritage and monuments.

The total cultivable area in India was reported as 155,369,076 hectares as of 2020, and is shrinking due to over-farming, increased livestock grazing, deforestation, urban growth, and severe weather events. India has a total water surface area of 314,070 km2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Rajasthan</span>

Rajasthan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, for both domestic and international tourists. Rajasthan attracts tourists for its historical forts, palaces, art and culture with its slogan "Padharo Mhare Desh " The capital city, Jaipur, also known as Pink City, is a very popular tourist destination and is a part of the Golden Triangle. The Walled City of Jaipur is only the second Indian city to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after Ahmedabad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ganj Basoda</span> City in Madhya Pradesh, India

Ganj Basoda, called Basoda, city and municipality in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Ganj Basoda is one of the eleven tehsils of Vidisha district and is 39 km from Vidisha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhota Udaipur district</span> District of Gujarat in India

Chhota Udaipur district is a district in the state of Gujarat in India. It was carved out of the Vadodara district on 26 January 2013 with its headquarters at Chhota Udaipur town and is the 28th district of Gujarat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004–05 Ranji Trophy</span> Cricket tournament

The 2004–05 Ranji Trophy was the 71st season of the Ranji Trophy. Railways defeated Punjab on first innings lead in the final.

References

  1. "Taj Mahal | Definition, Story, Site, History, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 29 September 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  2. "Kota stone,Cotta stone, distributors of Stones". Rajasthan, India.
  3. "Dolomitic marble Properties, Advantages and Drawbacks". 21 September 2022.
  4. "Granite - Indian Minerals yearbook - 2010" (PDF). Indian Bureau of Mines. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.