The Mountain of Light
The Mountain of Light is globally acclaimed entity flourishing many a paradox. It is known as ‘Mountain of Light’ but is smaller than the tiniest particle of Himalaya or Alps mountains. Mountains bear green valleys, rivers, health resorts, picnic arenas and abound in pure oxygen whereas the ‘Mountain of Light’, barren of these pleasantries, is made of crystalline carbon. Mountains splash colour and hue but the ‘Mountain of Light’ is colourless plain. Mountains offer welcome hospitality to their visitors without any regard of religious, political or social consideration whereas the extremely conceited ‘Mountain of Light’ keeps company of the sovereigns only. Mountains inhale and exhale fresh air and provide calmness to their visitors whereas the ‘Mountain of Light’ keeps itself aloof in air tight niches and its visitors have to get in mode of attention and care. Mountains enjoy their natural nakedness but the ‘Mountain of Light’ feels comfortable ensconced in velvety cartons. Though researchers and historians across the globe have tried to trace its origin and travels, it has not yet revealed authentic source of its extraction and transmission from one seat to another for the period prior to1739. The very name of the ‘Mountain of Light’ articulates instincts of splendour, grandeur, majesty, nobility and spruceness but its handing/ taking over from one holder to the next has never been a winsome transaction. The ‘Mountain of Light’ has changed holders only through cunning, conspiracy and conquest. In its, humility or conceit, the ‘Mountain of Light’ did not acquire any nomenclature till the Persian war lord Nadir Shah landed in Delhi and christened it Koh-i-Noor - its now celebrated name - in Red Fort, Delhi on May 12, 1739. The radiance of Koh-i-Noor not only dazzles visual eye sight but its shining rays seem to blur the minds’ eyes which, as a sequel, never applied rationality in its handing over or taking over.
The ‘Mountain of Light’ as the name depicts is not just a uniquely shining precious stone but its possession emits a grand kingship, opulent sovereignty, imperial power, diplomatic grandeur. In India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Khurason, England its very name evokes a peculiarly historical instinct.
The gem now well acclaimed and grandly named Koh-i-Noor was christened as such at Delhi in 1739. There are varied mythical, mystical, folklore accounts of its transmission from one holder to another upto 1526, but none is accepted historically proved. Its holdings from 1526 to 1739 too are not authentically established. Its history from 1739 onwards is accepted correct.
One tale describes its being with Raja Vikramjit of Gwalior when Babur attacked Delhi in 1526. When Ibrahim Lodhi lost the Panipat War, the Raja was in Agra. To secure his life, his Rani gave the jewel to Humayun son of Babur. Humayun lost power in 1540 and roamed across various lands upto Iran. He returned to India with the help of Iran King and the Koh-i-Noor was left in some Iranian hands from whom it reached the Sultan of Ahmadnagar, a Shia ruler, in the Deccan. From the Deccan Nawabs, Koh-i-Noor travelled to the treasury of Mughal Emperors.
When Nadir Shah invaded Delhi in 1739, Koh-i-Noor was in the possession of Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah. In a royal durbar held in Red Fort, Delhi on May 12, 1739 the victor Nadir Shah and the vanquished Mohammad Shah sat together to conclude the agreement to end Nadir Shah’s invasion and return to his lands in Khurasan. Mohammad Shah had worn/concealed the jewel in his turban. Nadir Shah had acquired information about Mohammad Shah’s ingenuity. To proclaim the new relationship between the two monarchs very cordial Nadir Shah exchanged his turban with that of Mohammad Shah. Through his superior cunning Nadir Shah got the anxiously guarded and keenly coveted diamond in his possession. On looking at the illustrious jewel, Nadir Shah exclaimed: Koh-i-Noor, that is ‘Mountain of Light’. This diamond entailing lot of mythology, mystery, folklore had landed in the lap of Nadir Shah who took it to Persia. Nadir Shah was assassinated in 1747. His son Shah Rukh could not retain his legacy. Ahmed Shah Abdali who was a soldier in Nadir Shah’s army seized power and Koh-i-Noor in 1747. Ahmed Shah (born in Multan) provided effective government to his lands and was proclaimed Durrani - a rare pearl. He died in 1772 of a long suffering disease of his nose and the succession, including Koh-i-Noor, devolved unto his son Taimour and further to his grandson Shah Zaman son of Taimour. Taimur had shifted his capital from Qandhaar to Kabul. Shah Zaman could not manage his legacy adroitly and the great empire built by his grandfather Ahmed Shah Durrani started crumbling. On one of his unsuccessful campaigns to control Punjab, Shah Zaman had to depart from Lahore in 1799 leaving Ranjit Singh as his nominee-governor. When he was returning to Kabul, some of Shah Zaman’s cannons drifted astray in river Jhelum. Ranjit Singh had them collected for restoring these to Zaman Shah. In 1800 people of Kabul rose against Shah Zaman and did not allow him to enter their city. Shah Zaman was arrested by his rebellious tribals and blinded by his captors. Usurper of Shah Zaman was his half brother Shah Mehmood. Shah Shuja was an adolescent of about 14 years when his brother Shah Zaman was deposed and blinded. In the chaos that prevailed Shah Shuja, then in Peshawar, rushed to Kabul, freed his brother Shah Zaman and locked up Shah Mehmood in prison. Shah Shuja gave amnesty to all those who had rebelled against Shah Zaman except Shinwari chieftain who had blinded his elder brother Shah Zaman.
The maladministration could not be controlled by Shah Shuja. Shah Shuja had not blinded his half-brother Shah Mahmood in 1803 but had put him in house arrest. In 1808, Mehmood escaped from his confinement and joined Shah Shuja’s enemies. Shah Shurja was in Peshawar when Mehmood captured Qandhar. In 1809, he captured Kabul also. Shah Shuja was tackling rebellion by his Kashmir governor who rather overpowered the beleaguered Shah Shuja and put him in jail.
Shah Shuja’s wife Begum Wa’fa and blinded brother Shah Zaman escaped to Lahore with Koh-i-Noor in their possession. Her entourage was given asylum by Ranjit Singh at Lahore. Under these distressing scenario, she offered to present Koh-i-Noor to Ranjit Singh if he would rescue her husband from confinement in Kashmir. Ranjit Singh sent an expedition to secure release of Shah Shuja. The expedition was successful. Shah Shuja was brought to Lahore and put up in Haveli Mubarak in central Lahore, separate from the place where his family resided. Shah Shuja honoured the agreement of his wife and surrendered Koh-i-Noor to Ranjit Singh on June 01, 1813 at Haveli Mubarak. The display of cunning and conquest in this transaction is apparent.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh used to wear Koh-i-Noor on his biceps on grand functions. Ranjit Singh died in 1939 and through his sons Kharak Singh and Sher Singh who died within four years of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s demise, Koh-i-Noor reached his youngest son Dalip Singh in 1843. The child Maharaja Daleep Singh just 10 years old when the British East India Company annexed Punjab formally in 1849 was made to surrender Koh-i-Noor in Lahore fort as per Article III of the Lahore Treaty of March 29, 1849.
Article III of the Lahore Treaty, 1849. “The gem called the Koh-i-Noor, which was taken from Shah Sooja-ool-mulk by Maharajah Runjeet Singh, shall be surrendered by the Maharajah of Lahore to the Queen of England”. The cunning, conspiracy and conquest are apparent in this transaction as well.
The surrendered diamond was kept in the custody of Dr. John Spencer Logan who had been appointed Dalip Singh’s guardian and superintendent. A year later Governor-General Dalhousie came to Lahore and took the diamond from Lahore to Mumbai for its transmission to England. Having suffered concealments and enjoying splendour inter-mittently, the celebrated Koh-i-Noor alongwith other British crown jewels is ensconced in velvety neat cartons under the shadow of London Tower.
In the long life of the distinguished jewel Koh-i-Noor, three events of its handling over/ taking over are definitely recorded:
1. Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah handed over Koh-i-Noor to the Persian war lord Nadir Shah on May 12, 1739 in Red Fort, Delhi.
2. Deposed Kabul King Shah Shuja handed over Koh-i-Noor to Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore on June 01, 1813 in Haveli Mubarak in Lahore.
3. The child Maharaja Duleep Singh of Lahore handed over Koh-i-Noor to the representative of Queen of England on March 29, 1849 in Lahore Fort.
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