Locals have termed the phenomenon as a gift from Tara Devi, their guardian deity, who had prophesied such a phenomenon long ago. No one wants to do anything else in this area.
In Taliwada village, over 2,000 men, women and children are involved in the exercise. In places, farmers have rented out their fields for Rs.10,000 a month to interested parties.
The tenants are free to carry out digging and keep the treasure if they find any.
The report quoted Jabalpur divisional commissioner Deepak Khandekar as saying, "A fossil-rich pocket, Mandla could have layers of gemstones lying undisturbed so far."
Khandekar has called for an expert team from Bhopal to visit the cluster and identify the stones.
A landmark novel by Nobel-laureate litterateur Pearl S Buck is based in the Madhya Pradesh town and titled Mandala.
Written in 1970, the book takes readers on a breathtaking journey to India as the country is transitioning to independence with a story of love, the clashing of cultures, and mysticism.
