Almaz Kohinoor: History and Photos

One of the most famous diamonds in the world has never been sold for money. Found even before our era, it is part of the royal crown of Britain, and the government of India does not abandon attempts to recover the treasure. Precise data, when and under what circumstances found a jewel for possession of which was paid with blood, no. We know only legends, but how much fiction and truth are in them, it remains only to guess.

Hindus have one instructive story, which tells the story of the famous stone. In philosophical history a profound meaning is laid concerning every person.

Almaz Kohinoor: Indian Parable of Happiness

Indian tradition tells of a peasant who found a beautiful stone in his garden and gave it to his children. Pleased with unusual toys, the children first became interested in the find, and then threw it on the windowsill.

One day a monk knocked at the poor man's house, looking for a night's lodging. The owner did not refuse, and the guest told that on the ground there are places where diamonds are hidden in huge quantities. And if you do not be 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 his luck by the tail grew stronger every day. He sold his plot, and his wife and children, whom he left in the care of neighbors, ordered to wait for him. The peasant assured that he would return to the rich and fulfill all the wishes of his relatives.

For many years he wandered in search of happiness, worked hard, but during that time he never found the place where untold treasures lie. However, the employee already had a clear idea of what a diamond is and how it looks. After many years, the disappointed and impoverished prospector returned home, where in the hut lay a forgotten stone, once found on the ground, which the poor sold. He did not believe his eyes - a rare and expensive gem poured in different faces. And then remembered the lost peasant, when and where he found the treasure. Exhausted by hard work, the man was searching all over Europe for the wealth that lay beneath his feet. The land that he sold, gave one of the finest stones in the world - the legendary diamond Kohinor.

The parable tells that people are looking for happiness around the world, and it is waiting for them at home.

Legends and legends

It is believed that the "bloody" stone was found in India in 56 BC. According to the legends, he was found in the mines of Golkogda, the ancient fortress of the country. It was a huge stone weighing more than 600 carats. True, modern scholars agree that this figure is somewhat exaggerated.

Many Hindus believe that the gem fell from the sky, and God Krishna imposed a curse on him: the diamond must protect the virtuous and pure minded masters, and those who get it dishonestly will suffer all their lives. Whatever it was, but for the right to possess the treasure the mighty overlords fought, and out of 20 the owners of the stone, eighteen died.

History of the mascot

The great raja of the Malwa family has taken possession of a jewel that has the longest history in comparison with other diamonds. For several hundred years the Kohinor diamond was passed down from generation to generation. The rulers treasured the inherited treasure and believed that it was a magical stone that protected their kind and gave power over the whole world. For a long time they wore it in their turbans, being afraid of theft of the mascot, and, as it turned out, not in vain. As soon as the cunning shah was taken over by a cunning shah, a descendant of the Khili family, who lulled the vigilance of the raja, the royal dynasty was plundered. She ceased to store the priceless amulet, who moved with her new owner in Delhi.

The new owners of the diamond

After India was captured by the Great Moguls, enslaved by many states, the Shah Jahan, the padishah, who immortalized his name by building the beautiful Taj Mahal, took possession of a fabulous treasure. A ruler, sensitive to beauty, dreamed of an expensive throne, and his wish was fulfilled. Talented jewelers and artists have long worked on a real work of art and created a stunning masterpiece. The peacock throne, the back of which resembled the iridescent tail of the royal bird, was adorned with jewels, gold and silver, and above the head of the padishah was the purest water of diamond Kohinor, who lost weight after cutting.

Three centuries the stone brought good luck in battles, bestowed the wealth of the mighty empire of the Great Moguls and at the same time sowed discord. Mighty Shah Jahan ruled until the moment when his son grew up, who wished to take power from his father. The offspring killed his brothers, and the padishah was imprisoned, fearing the wrath of a treasure with magical powers. So the ruler died in the casemates, the glory of which thundered throughout the world, and his dear throne, which became a symbol of the monarchy, was dismantled and sold.

Another painful death

In 1739, the diamond Kohinor, whose history is inextricably linked with human tragedies, again changed the owner. They were tricked by the Persian ruler who lured the magical stone from Shah Muhammad. The Lord, who received the treasure dishonestly, was stupefied by the blinding beauty of the shining stone. It is believed that just then the nameless talisman got its name (in the Farsi language koh-i-noor means "mountain of light"). However, the amulet did not begin to be kept by the one who received it with the help of deceit: a few years later the king of Persia grew turbid and took a painful death from his entourage.

Gift to the Queen

So traveled around the world diamond Kohinor, brought only grief and failure. Why did he cease to be a guardian for the owners? His magical power dried up as soon as he absorbed the blood of people. And though no one believed in the protective forces of the amulet, his unique beauty fascinated and drove him crazy, forcing him to give his life for the treasure. The stone traveled to Persia, Afghanistan, again returned to India, and when the country became a British colony, it was presented as a gift to Queen Victoria.

Heard of the bloody history of the diamond, the British advised the Empress to abandon the treasure, with which so many deaths are associated. However, the ruler did not listen to the advice and did not part with the stone for several years. Once it seemed to her that a gorgeous diamond lacked brilliance, and the queen demanded a new cut.

The cut that caused public outrage

In the middle of the XIX century it was given to a Dutch jeweler who worked together with a royal mineralogist. After a month and a half, Kohinor's diamond, whose photo does not convey the radiance and play of the faces, lost its original appearance and more than half its former weight. Experts agree that the processing of the diamond was superfluous. Vandalism of the British government caused a wave of outrage, swept the country. Many considered it sacrilegious to cut a real work of art that has a rich history. The stone lost not only its original appeal, but also its jeweler value: its weight dropped to a hundred carats.

It is curious, but there is a belief that a master must produce a cut that can not 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 courted like a small child: he was fed healthy food by the clock, carefully guarded sleep and entertained so that the specialist would not get bored.

Official transfer of stone

The Queen made sure beforehand that no one could take away the precious stone from Great Britain. She legitimized the possession of this incredible treasure by inviting the son of a powerful Maharaja, Dalip Singh, who converted to Christianity. 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 a full-fledged possessor of the jewel, officially donated to the British Empire.

был признан регалией, имеющей государственное значение. The brilliant diamond Kohinor in the crown of the Empress of Great Britain was recognized as a regalia of national importance. Victoria has worn it for more than 50 years, and no misfortune has happened to her. Now the real treasure is stored in the Tower, in the museum of jewels of the royal family.

Calling for treasure back

This is not the end of the story of the stone. After India became an independent country, she demanded from the UK to return the legendary diamond Kohinor, but received a firm rejection. 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 art again belonged to India.

In 2015, a new wave of disturbances arose. The initiative group prepared a lawsuit against Queen Elizabeth II, seeking the return of the national treasure. It was noted that, in doubtful circumstances, the artifact was taken from India by the British.

The British government once again rejected the idea to give away the diamond Kohinor. This will entail other baseless demands, as a result of which the country may lose its main museum exhibits.