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Kohinoor Diamond |
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Kohinoor Diamond Curse
"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."
This undying truth about Kohinoor diamond was embedded in a Hindu text that authenticated the appearance of this precious stone. Once touted as the largest known diamond in the world, Kohinoor has always been the object of admiration, reason for pride and the answer for the connoisseurs of beauty. Kohinoor, which means "Mountain of Light" in Urdu, had a famed journey ever since its origin. This diamond was never bought nor sold and it has always altered its location from one dynasty to another and from one epoch to other.
Why is the Kohinoor Diamond so famous in history?
Be it in James Joyce's "Ulysses", or in Agatha Christie’s stories, Kohinoor Diamond has captured enough space in the literary canvas over the ages. The mention of this diamond is frequent in popular media and that certainly reflects its stature and reach. The reference to this fabulous stone was made at every point of time in the history and that is not without a reason. The insatiable desire of the Emperors to possess this priceless gem added to their urge to prove their prowess before the world.
The more people craved to be the owner of Kohinoor, the more distant it went away from them.
It is the never ending quest of the rulers to make this diamond their own that has kept the world on its edge. The charm attached with Kohinoor diamond and its rarity has made it one of the most sought after diamonds. For centuries, deception and treachery had been the order of the day, and all these to get hold of this priceless asset.
How did Koh-i-noor diamond get its name?
If history is to be believed then there is not much space to doubt the fact that Kohinoor was found in Golconda mines in Andhra Pradesh. As per the historians, the original name of Koh-i-noor was ‘Samantik Mani’, which means Prince among diamonds. It was only in 1739 A.D that its name was changed to its present form by Nadir Shah, the King of Persia.Nadir Shah had invaded India in January, 1739 and after overpowering Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah Rangila he took the possession of the fort of Delhi on March 9, 1739.
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He was tipped off that the Mughal Emperor used to carry the diamond with him in his turban. Before returning to Persia on May 1, 1739, he exchanged turbans with the then Mughal ruler Muhammad Shah as a token of friendship in the Darbar Hall. This is known as the ‘Turban Trick’ by which Nadir Shah took possession of this diamond. When he had seen the diamond for the first time, he was so bedazzled at the spectacle that he exclaimed "Koh-i-Noor" in wonder. Ever since then, ‘Samantik Mani’ became popular by the name of Kohinoor.
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Genesis of the Kohinoor Diamond
Very little truth has been substantiated about the genesis of this wonderful gem and historians throughout the ages have debated on this issue. As far as the general consensus goes, the Koh-i-noor diamond was more than 4,000 years old, although the existence of Koh-i-noor diamond was first recorded in the 1300s. Legends are divided in their opinions on whether Babur got access to the diamond in Gujarat or he found it in the Deccan. The Rajah of Malwa is considered to be the first owner of the Koh-i-noor diamond and it is only after two hundred years that Sultan Babur claimed the stone.
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Mythological reference to Kohinoor
If we turn to mythology to explore the beginning of this regal diamond we will have to walk 5000 years back. Its mention was there in ancient Sanskrit manuscripts under the guise of Syamantaka. Hindu mythology records the effort of Lord Krishna to obtain the Koh-i-Noor from Jambavantha. He later married Jambavantha’s daughter Jambavati. Lord Krishna was accused of robbing Satrajith's dead brother off his diamond and killing him. In an untiring urge to prove his innocence, Lord Krishna called for a fierce battle and defeated Jambavan before taking away the precious stone and handing it over to Satrajith. Pricked by conscience for having humiliated Lord Krishna, Satrajith decided to offer his daughter and the Koh-i-noor diamond to Krishna. The later accepted his daughter Satyabhama, but did not receive the Syamantaka.
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Course of the Kohinoor Diamond during the Delhi Sultanate
It has been a prolonged battle among the dynasties covering several epochs and Koh-i-Noor diamond gradually attained peerless popularity leading to further bloodbath and frequent change of ownership. After leaving the threshold of the Slave dynasty in the late 13th century, the gem changed its abode to the palaces of Khilji rulers. In 1306, the Rajah of Malwa was compelled to sacrifice his possession and give the diamond to the rulers of the Kakatiya Empire. It was after the decadence of the Kakatiya Empire that the diamond came under the hands of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who ruled as the Sultan of Delhi for long 26 years till 1351.
For almost a century the diamond was under the safekeeping of the Tughlaq rulers before it was taken away by the succeeding monarchs of the Sayyid dynasty in the second decade of the 15th century. By this time the world has witnessed enough of violence, murders, uprisings, persecution and treachery. Kingdoms were plagued by ill-luck and misery befell the kings who possessed this imperial diamond.
After remaining in the hands of the Sayyid rulers, it was time for the Koh-i-noor diamond to change its home once again. This time it was the Lodi dynasty, which got hold of this worthy gem. From the middle of the 15th century to the beginning decades of 16th century Lodi Dynasty rulers flaunted this rare gem but as always the owner’s pride proved temporary and the object of pride deserted its owner to find a new refuge in the hands of Babur, the first Mughal emperor.
Two eventful centuries had passed from 1323 to 1526 and during this long phase, the Kohinoor diamond changed its ownership frequently but that change was confined to the Delhi Sultanate comprising several Muslim dynasties ruling India till 1526. Ibrahim Lodi, the last emperor of the Lodi dynasty faced defeat under the hands of Babur in the first Battle of Panipat on April 20, 1526 and that changed the course of the diamond’s odyssey.
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Kohinoor’s entry in the Mughal household (1526 to 1739)
It was in 1526 that this priceless gem made its entry in the community of the Mughal emperors. This marked the beginning of yet another trouble-torn phase with the frequent struggle for power and the intense conflict within the family dynasty. Koh-i-noor has been the reason for which even the sons tried to topple their emperor fathers and usurp the throne. The next two hundred years witnessed a string of unforgettable events that actually helped this precious stone to attain a mystic appeal.
The process of passing the diamond from one emperor to another started with Babur. It was in the middle of 16th century that Rajput ruler Raja Vikramaditya of Gwalior and Ibrahim Lodi were killed in the battlefield by the Babar’s armies. Humayun’s respect for the family members of dead Vikramaditya made him allow them to leave Delhi and take shelter in Mewar at Chittaur. Humayun's kindness was reciprocated in the form of gifts, which include the Koh-i-noor. However, Humayun's son, Akbar did not keep this fabulous piece of diamond in his custody.
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan was the immediate successor who inherited this impeccable gem in 1592. Shah Jahan placed the Kohinoor Diamond into his Peacock Throne, which was a masterpiece during his time. Year 1639 was important in the history of Koh-i-noor as it was in the same year that the entire empire experienced a recurring struggle among Shah Jahan’s four sons. This period bore testimony to a series of heinous crimes and detestable conspiracies with one brother killing another. The viciousness surfaced when Shah Shuja murdered his brother Dara Shikoh and later he himself was defeated by Aurangzeb in 1658.
Years passed by and under Aurangzeb’s rule the Koh-i-noor found a place on the walls of the imperial chambers. After ailing Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb, the diamond was deliberately placed against a window so that Shah Jahan could have a long gaze at it and behold the exotic countryside reflected in the stone. The escalating trend of the Mughal Empire came to close with the end of Aurangzeb’s rule in the year 1707. From the walls of the Taj Mahal, the stone was brought to Aurangzeb’s capital Lahore. He later placed it in his own personal Badshahi Mosque.
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