The Mountain of Light

Andhra Pradesh - this name gives us a chill when we remember that this is the place where major and famous diamond mines of the country is located, the place of famous Golconda mine which produced  some diamonds like 'Daria-i-Noor' , 'Regent', 'Orlov', 'Nizam', 'Jacob' and the bloodiest 'Koh-i-noor'.

Our story directly goes back to 5000 BC. There was a mention of a big fat diamond named Symantaka in a Sanskrit Script. For over next 4000 years there is no proof where it had gone. Historians believe that till 1304 AD this diamond was in the possession of Rajas of Malwa. In this period Alauddin Khalji was ruling at Delhi. He attacked the Malwa state in 1305 AD and this diamond came to Delhi. Others believe that this diamond was actually a property of Kakatiyas of Warangal and in 1309 AD. When Alauddin launched his campaign against them, this diamond was a part of the enourmous booty collected. “He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity.”- it has been said for the diamond.

After Aladuddin Khalji’s death it was passed on to his heir and then to his next, from the hand of one dynasty to another whoever ruling at Delhi. After the fall of Delhi Sultanate in First Battle of Panipat it was passed on to the Timurid Prince Babar. In his memoirs 'Tuzuk-i-Babri' Babar mentioned that it was gifted to him by Delhi Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi. For the next 200 years Mughals ruled about the whole of India. After Babur this was passed into the hand of his son, Humayun. The Afgan chief Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in 1540 AD at the battle of Kannuj (also known as battle of Bilwagram). For the next 15 years Humayun spent his life as a wanderer. In 1544 he took refuge at Persia and there he was recieved by Shah Tahmsp who helped him to get back his empire. The Mughal emperor Humayun gifted this to Shah as a gratitude.

Muslim sultans of deccans have a very rich past. Bijapore, Golconda, Ahmednagar were the sovereign states who regarded Shah Tahmsp as their head. As they were Shia, they were always harassed by the Sultans of Delhi. It is said that Burhan Nizam Shah of Nizam Shahi dynasty of Ahmednagar received this diamond as a gift from Shah Tahmsp along with other gifts. It remained in the hand of Nizam Shahis till 1656 AD. Then it was passed on to Mir Jumla , the prime minister of Sultan Abdullah Shah of Golconda. He presented it to Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1656.  The diamnond again came back to the Mughals.

Shah Jahan was the emperor whose time is regrded as the zenith of art and architecture during Mughals. He placed this diamond on his famous Peacock Throne on which is inscribed the Amir Khusrau couplet : “if there is a pardise on earth, it is here”. One after another the throne was passed on to their heirs and they protected it diligently. But time has another story to tell.

Nadir Shah of Persia was attracted to the wealth of India. In 1638 AD, he invaded India and conquered Lahore. Muhammad Shah Rangila was the Mughal emperor sitted at Delhi. Nadir Shah attacked Delhi in 1639 AD and defeated Rangila in the battlefield of Karnel. Along with other things he looted the Peacock Throne, he was amazed by the diamond placed on it. He named it as ‘Koh-i-Noor’(means the mountain of light) , the name by which it is known today. The history of the Peacock Throne is till not clear though.

 The diamond once again went outside india. But Nadir Shah didnot live for long after that. In 1747 AD he was assassinated and Kohinoor got to the hand of Ahmad Shah Durrani, one of his generals.

Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk was a descendent (great grand son) of Nadir shah. Mahmud  (Shuja’s half brother) defeated him in the battle over the throne of Afganistan in 1810 AD and 1811 AD. Shuja managed to send his wife Wafa Begum to Punjab in 1811 AD under the protection of Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After the battle Shuja was arrested. On the request of Wafa Begum, Ranjit Singh brought back Shuja from the hands of Mahmud Shah. Shuja and Wafa Begum gave Kohinoor to Ranjit Singh as a tribute. Thus, it again came to india.

Maharaja Duleep Singh was the son of Ranjit Singh. He got Kohinoor from his father and maybe he was the last ruler in india to possess it. After Ranjit Singh’s death he ascended to the throne. In 1849 AD Britishers annexed Punjab and the young ruler was desposed. He signed the treaty of Lahore and surrended it as per the treaty. Lord Dalhousie took it himself and sent it from Lahore to Bombay and then to Engalnd, directly to Queen Victoria. And after that it never came back to india.

For the first time, Kohinoor was put to public in the Great Exhibition. In 1852, Prince Albert directed to recut it to increase its brilliance, it was reshaped to 105 carats as compared to the previous 186 carats. It then find its place the crown of the british queens.

It is said that the diamond is cursed, wherever it went, it brought bad luck.

Kohinoor is now on the display in Tower of London. The price of it is unknown, but the price will be not only for its size and beauty but for the rich history of becoming the bloodiest diamond in the world.

(P.S. Historians argue over the facts. I am not a historian nor a researcher, I have jotted down the facts I have come through in various reliable books and websites)

                                                                                                  ----by Wayfarer,  drawing by Primavora