Once a struggling bookseller from Rajasthan, Narendra Kumar Girwa stumbled upon pearl farming completely by accident — thanks to a YouTube search gone wrong.

But that unexpected discovery sparked his curiosity and set him on a path he never imagined. Starting in 2015, he now produces 5,000 pearls annually, earning Rs 15 lakh per cycle.

He has shared this knowledge with farmers across India and abroad, including in Nepal and Dubai. Having mastered the intricacies of pearl farming, he went on to train over 200 farmers. He shares a step-by-step guide on how you can do it too!

1) Getting  your hands on healthy mussels Narendra started with just 500 mussels, which he sourced all the way from Kerala. His tip for keeping them healthy during the journey?

Wrap them in a wet jute sack and don’t forget to sprinkle water on it whenever it starts drying out.

2) Setting up the pond? It’s easier than you’d think. To mimic a river-like environment, start with a 10×15-foot pond—that’s enough space for about 1,000 mussels. And the best part? You don’t need a huge farm to get going. Even a small terrace with a compact pond will work.

3) A big no to Ammonia in water One thing you’ve got to watch out for is ammonia — keep those levels at zero. You can do this by using a regular water cooler motor to keep the water moving. Run it for about two to three hours a day, and that’s usually enough to keep things fresh for the mussels.

4) Nurture the mussels in the right temperature Knowing how extreme Rajasthan’s climate can get, Narendra digs his ponds about five feet deep. This ensures mussels thrive, even in peak summer.

He advises to maintain the temperature between 10 and 30 degrees. By using green shades he achieves this critical temperature stability that is just right for a productive harvest season from October to March.

5) And it’s time to harvest your pearls After 12–18 months of waiting, you can now harvest! Gently clean the mussels and extract the pearls. With optimal conditions, he says, “farmers can achieve up to 70 percent mussel survival and earn up to Rs four lakh from 1,400 pearls.”