An opaque, semi-precious stone ... s name isn’t. Agates vary in color from bright blue to glowing amber and deep black. They yield beautiful striped patterns when cut and polished.

Mr. Adlakha said agate was a stone that delivered what many people want. “We want to connect with the natural world, and this stone is a reminder of nature,” he said. “Emeralds and diamonds ...

KHAMBHAT, India — A few years ago, when occupational safety activists came to Hydersha Diwan’s village here, 300 miles north of Mumbai, he drove them away with threats and bluster. Today, he ...