One of the most famous diamonds in the world has never been sold for money. Found before our era, it is part of the royal crown of Great Britain, and the government of India does not abandon attempts to return the treasure. There is no exact data when and under what circumstances a jewel was found for the possession of which they paid with blood. We only know the legends, but how much fiction and truth is in them, we can only guess.
The Indians have one instructive story in which the famous stone is narrated. Philosophical history has a deep meaning for every person.
Diamond Kohinor: The Indian Parable of Happiness
Indian tradition tells of a peasant who found a beautiful stone in his garden and gave it to his children. Overjoyed by the unusual toy, the children first became interested in the find, and then threw it on the windowsill.
Once a monk knocked on a poor man’s house, looking for an overnight stay. The owner did not refuse, and the guest said that there are places on the earth where diamonds lurk in huge numbers. And if you are not lazy, you can get rich fabulously, and the peasant is wasting his life working on a site where there is nothing. When the monk left, the poor man, shocked by his words, thought for a long time, and the desire to catch luck by the tail grew stronger every day. He sold his plot, and he ordered his wife and children whom he left in the care of neighbors to wait for it. The peasant assured that he would return rich and fulfill all the desires of his relatives.
For many years he wandered in search of happiness, worked hard, but during this time he never found the place where innumerable treasures lie. However, the worker already had a clear idea of what a diamond is and how it looks. Many years later, a disappointed and impoverished prospector returned home, where in a hut lay on a window a forgotten stone, once found on the ground that the poor sold. He could not believe his eyes - a rare and expensive gem poured in different faces. And then the farmer who lost his health remembered when and where he found the treasure. Exhausted by hard work, a man searched all over Europe for the wealth lurking under his feet. The land he sold gave one of the finest stones in the world - the legendary Kohinor diamond.
The parable tells that people seek happiness around the world, and it is waiting for them at home.
Legends and traditions
It is believed that the "bloody" stone was found in India in 56 BC. According to legend, he was found in the mines of Golkogda - the country's ancient fortress. It was a huge stone weighing more than 600 carats. True, modern scientists agree that this figure is somewhat exaggerated.
Many Indians believe that the gem fell from heaven, and the god Krishna imposed a curse on him: the diamond must protect the virtuous and pure thoughts of the owners, and those who get it dishonestly will suffer all their lives. Be that as it may, but powerful lords fought for the right to possess the treasure, and of the 20 stone owners, eighteen died.
Mascot story
The great Raja of the Malwa clan took possession of a jewel with the longest history compared to other diamonds. For several hundred years, the Kohinor diamond has been handed down from generation to generation. The rulers treasured treasures inherited by inheritance and believed that it was a magic stone protecting their kind and granting power over the whole world. For a long time they wore it in their turban, fearing the theft of a talisman, and, as it turned out, not in vain. As soon as the cunning shah seized the king of the gems, the descendant of the Khili family, who lulled the vigilance of the raja, the royal dynasty was sacked. The priceless amulet, which moved with its new owner to Delhi, ceased to keep it.
New owners of diamond
After India was captured by the Great Mughals, who enslaved many states, the Padishah Shah Jahan, who immortalized his name by building the beautiful Taj Mahal, took possession of a fabulous treasure. The ruler, thinly feeling the beauty, dreamed of an expensive throne, and his wish came true. Talented jewelers and artists have long worked on a real work of art and created an amazing masterpiece. The peacock throne, the back of which resembled the iridescent tail of a royal bird, was adorned with jewels, gold and silver, and over the head of the padishah the Kohinor diamond shone with pure water, which lost weight after cutting.
For three centuries, stone brought good luck in battles, granted the wealth of the mighty Mughal empire, and at the same time sowed discord. The powerful Shah Jahan ruled until his son, who wanted to take power from his father, had grown up. The offspring killed his brothers, and the padishah imprisoned him, fearing the wrath of a treasure possessing magical powers. So the ruler died in the casemates of grief, whose fame boomed throughout the world, and his dear throne, which became the symbol of the monarchy, was torn to pieces and sold.
Another painful death
In 1739, the Kohinor diamond, whose history is inextricably linked with human tragedies, again changed its owner. The Persian ruler took possession of him by cunning, who lured the magic stone from Shah Mohammed. Vladyka, who received the treasure dishonestly, was stunned by the blinding beauty of the shining stone. It is believed that it was then that the previously unnamed talisman got its name (in Farsi, koh-i-noor means "mountain of light"). However, the amulet did not keep the one who received it through deception: a few years later the king of Persia became clouded by reason and suffered a painful death from his associates.
Gift to the queen
So the Kohinor diamond traveled all over the world, bringing only grief and failure. Why has it ceased to be a talisman for owners? His magical power dried up as soon as he absorbed the blood of people. And although no one else believed in the defenses of the amulet, its unique beauty fascinated and drove crazy, forcing to give their lives for treasure. The stone traveled to Persia, Afghanistan, returned to India, and when the country became a British colony, it was presented to Queen Victoria as a gift.
Having heard about the bloody history of diamond, the British advised the empress to abandon the treasure, with which so many deaths were associated. However, the ruler did not listen to advice and did not part with the stone for several years. Once, it seemed to her that a plain diamond was not enough shine, and the queen demanded a new cut.
Public outrage
In the middle of the XIX century, he was given to the Dutch jeweler, who worked together with the royal mineralogist. After a month and a half, the Kohinor diamond, whose photo does not convey the radiance and the play of faces, lost its original appearance and more than half its former weight. Experts agree that diamond processing was unnecessary. The vandalism of the British government caused a wave of indignation that swept the country. Many considered blasphemy the cutting of a real work of art that has a rich history. The stone lost not only its initial attractiveness, but also its jewelry value: its weight dropped to one hundred carats.
It is curious, but there is a belief that one master should produce a cut that cannot be interrupted for a long time. It is important that the jeweler does not get sick during work and is cheerful. The Dutch master was looked after, like a small child: he was fed healthy food by the hour, carefully guarded his sleep and entertained so that the specialist would not get bored.
Official stone transfer
The Queen made sure that no one could take the gem from Britain. She legalized possession of this incredible treasure, inviting the son of the powerful Maharaja - Dalip Singh, who converted to Christianity, to London. He confirmed the transfer of the stone and stated that he was happy to be personally present at such an important historical event. Since then, England considers itself the full owner of the jewel officially donated to the British Empire.
The sparkling diamond of Cohinor in the crown of the Empress of Great Britain was recognized as a regalia of national importance. Victoria wore it for more than 50 years, and no misfortune happened to her. Now the real treasure is kept in the Tower, in the royal family's museum of jewelry.
The demand to return the treasure
The story of the stone does not end there. After India became an independent country, it demanded that Britain return the legendary Kohinor diamond, but was firmly refused. The Prime Minister of the state published an open letter in which he addressed the British government. He was supported by other countries who wished that the masterpiece of jewelry again belonged to India.
In 2015, a new wave of indignation arose. The initiative group prepared a lawsuit against Queen Elizabeth II, seeking the return of the national treasure. It was noted that the artifact was taken out of India by the British under dubious circumstances.
The British government has once again rejected the idea of giving the Kohinor diamond. This will entail other groundless demands, as a result of which the country may lose its main museum exhibits.