THE GOLD DIGGERS OF PANCHAVATI (NASHIK)

It is obviously tradition to trow coins into the holy Godavari river to thank the deities or ask for a benefice. These coins are not lost after the festivities: at low water level the people from the area start to dig out the coins from the mud. A very cumbersome, unhygenic and dangereous expedise.

On one side along the river are no sewage tratment plants, the water is extremely dirty and you do'nt need a microscope to see that. On the other side the recent Dusshera feast, combined with the immersion of a ton of effigies all painted very colourful with paints containing Cadmium, Mercury and Lead are now disolved in the water, which makes the water toxic. Despite all that this water is also used for bathing and washing the cloths.


















The more or less rare coins together with bone fragments ( I hope they are not human nature)are than later sold at the local market.