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| Tuesday, 28 December 2004 |
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The famous Kohinoor diamond by Derrick Schokman Long before diamonds were mined in Africa and De Beers monopolised the world market, these precious stones were found in the rich silt of the Krishna river in India. And long before Hollywood's Marylyn Monroe sang out aloud that "diamonds are a girl's best friend," eastern rulers had cultivated an enduring fascination for them. Especially the fabulous Kohinoor diamond which was said to have had the phenomenal value of "half the daily expense of the world." It was considered a talisman of kingship. Not to be bought or sold, but coming into possession of a ruler either "by the arbitrament of the flashing sword which was an expression of divine will, or by the grace of another ruler." Interesting References to this famous diamond began to appear in the 13th century, coincident with the Muslim invasion of India. There is an interesting story of how it came to be so named. An eastern ruler, Nadir Shah, obtained this wonderful diamond from Muhammud Shah, whom he had defeated in war. It is the way in which he obtained this priceless jewel that is interesting. Nadir had been previously tipped off that Muhammud had the diamond hidden in his turban. So when they met at the Red Fort to arbitrate, Nadir generously - or so it seemed - allowed Muhammud to retain his throne as a vassal. The agreement was sealed by the traditional exchange of turbans. Nadir got what he most desired, and when he saw its size and brilliance he exclaimed in astonishment "Koh-i-Noor" which meant "mountain of light." Sikhs The Kohinoor remained in the possession of the Moghul Emperors up to the time of Shah Jehan in 1656. After that it passed through Persia and Afghanistan to the Sick Kingdom in the Punjab, India. The Sikhs lost it to the British in the second Sikh war of 1849. Dalip Singh, the Maharaja of Lahore, signed away his kingdom, and his treasure which included the Kohinoor. This remarkable diamond of 186 carats was displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1852. Subsequently in preparing the stone for a tiara for Queen Victoria, the Crown Jewellers Garrods recut the diamond from its natural shape to a geometrical one in keeping with modern fashion. In the process they reduced it to 105 carats. The 105 carat Kohinoor was subsequently exhibited, after Queen Victoria's demise, as a museum piece in the Tower of London, until it was used again as the central stone in the crown of the recently deceased Queen Mother when she was a crowned Empress of India. Controversy This caused a political stir in India, where 50 members of parliament signed a motion in 2000 as king for the return of the Kohinoor (and other property) taken as booty in the 1849 Sikh War. The Sikh community in Britain however argued against its return to India, as they contended it was a symbol of the one-time Sikh nation. Controversy raised its head again at the Queen Mother's funeral when the crown containing the Kohinoor was displayed on her coffin. It upset some Indians who thought such an act to be an inconsiderate flouting of the war booty extracted in 1849, symptomatic of Britain's old empire mentality. Thus ends the Saga of the world's most famous diamond. After 700 years of passing through the hands of Eastern potentates, it now lies in the Tower of London as an adornment in the crown of an English Queen. |
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