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India Vs. The Queen: Diamonds Aren’t Always A Girl’s Best Friend
It has become a real life Blood Diamond between India and the Queen of England. India wants its diamond back and will stop at nothing to get it.
Assumed to be the rarest of stones, diamonds were first recognized and mined in India and have been part of their mining industry for the past 6,000 years.
India, however, is not after just any diamond, but its very own, The Kohinoor.
A lobbying group of various Bollywood stars and Indian businessmen have united to bring legal action against Queen Elizabeth II, demanding the return of the famous Kohinoor diamond back to India.
Also known as "The Mountain of Light," the Kohinoor, once considered to be the world's largest diamond, is now a part of the crown of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II crown with the Kohinoor diamond.
Photo Credit: India Times
Photo Credit: India Times
The 105-carat diamond was originally acquired by the British when Punjab was conquered by The East India Company in 1849.
Thirteen-year-old Dulip Singh, who was the last ruler of the Sikh Empire, was brought to England in 1850 to present the diamond to Queen Victoria.
The group, "The Mountain of Light," which was named after the Kohinoor itself, says the diamond was stolen from its true home in India and demands that the U.K. government return it.
Photo Credit: India Times
Bollywood star Bhumicka Singh, also a part of the group, said, "The Kohinoor is not just a 105-carat stone, but part of our history and culture and should undoubtedly be returned."
The lobbyists have teamed up with Birmingham-based law firm Rubric Lois King to bring the legal challenge forward.
David de Souza, co-founder of the Indian leisure group Titos, is helping to fund the legal action, instructing British lawyers to begin with high-court proceedings. He explained that, "The Kohnioor is one of the many artefacts taken from India under dubious circumstances."
The Kohinoor's actual value is unknown. It is estimated to be 5000 years old and referred to in Sanskrit writings as the Syamantaka Jewel. Legend behind the diamond was that it was cursed. The curse of the Kohinoor dates back to Hindu text from 1306 and reads: "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."
Should India have its diamond returned? Let us know in the comments below.
Main Image Photo Credit: Telegraph
Nicole Singh
Author
Nicole is a bilingual professional with a journalism background who adores everything to do with fashion, culture, and Bollywood. She always had a passion for writing since a young age and decided to follow that dream. She has a sense of working in the field through news publications writt...
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