Mountain of Light: The Story of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond

Mountain 

Of Light

Dale Richard Perelman

A purer and a brighter gem than ever graced a diadem and fitly named, so great, so pure—Mountain of Light—Koh-I-Noor.

        From a poem entitled The Koh-I-Noor by Reverend Ralph Hoyt,

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© 2012 by Dale R. Perelman G.G.. All rights reserved.

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Published by AuthorHouse 0 7/18/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-1628-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-1629-3 (e)

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chronology of the Koh-I-Noor

Bibliography

To my wife, Michele Perelman

and to my father, Lawrence Perelman.

INTRODUCTION

How to begin the story of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond? I pondered while sitting in a small provincial cafe in Delhi near the university. The stone has such a mysterious background. There is so much to tell.

Oh, the Koh-I-Noor, replied the withered old Hindu professor who sat across the table from me. "You can not possibly write about such a stone unless you feel its magic dance through your veins.

We have mined diamonds in India since recorded time, but the Koh-I-Noor may be even older. Many believe it to be a gift from the gods. My ancestors thought diamonds grew from the ground like wild mushrooms and possessed wonderful powers. Maharajahs and princes were judged by the value of their jewels, and, of course, the Koh-I-Noor became the greatest treasure of all.

The professor paused momentarily to sip his tea. As he lifted the cup to his lips, I glanced toward a gem dealer who shared our table. Our companion appeared disturbed.

Mehra, is something wrong? I asked.

Wrong? he answered. Do you wish to hear my thoughts?

I nodded.

Very well! The Koh-I-Noor was no gift from the gods. The legends promised good fortune to whomever owned it, but most experienced great pain. The diamond was a wretched trick foisted upon mankind by unfeeling gods to torment us. The Koh-I-Noor was cursed—a tool of the dark and evil one.

Nonsense, the professor answered. Mehra, you are far too superstitious. The Koh-I-Noor, like the Taj Mahal, is one of India’s proudest treasures. If anyone is cursed, it is you and 1, because we did not have the luck to own the stone. The professor smiled at Mehra and continued.

Diamonds are so different and wonderful. Formed under the greatest heat and pressure deep within the earth’s bowels, they are the hardest substance known to man. Their fiery brilliance gives off breathtaking beauty. One can easily see why diamonds outshine all rival gemstones, but the Koh-I-Noor’s mammoth size and rich history make it truly unique.

While listening to the professor’s words, I became drawn by the stone’s magnetism. The history and legend surrounding the Koh-I-Noor overwhelmed me.

But where shall I begin? I blurted.

Why at the beginning of course, said the professor with a wink, and be caught up in the spell of the Koh-I-Noor.

CHAPTER 1

The young Hindu prince silently found his way past the carelessly unprotected corridor to the rajah’s bedchamber. Easing open the massive wooden door, he entered the room and leaned against the cold stone wall to compose his thoughts. So much had happened.

His mind drifted backward in time, and he recalled his dead father’s advice: The wonderful icy white diamond is a god-given gift. It is the mirror image of your soul and contains great power. Guard it carefully. Your fate is tied to the diamond. If you lose it, you will lose a part of yourself.

The youth’s heart raced with anger and revenge as he remembered that terrible morning when the rajah’s savage hordes surprised his father’s warriors and crushed their defenseless village. The horrible screams of his wounded cousin and the pathetic look of anguish on his grandmother’s face would haunt him always.

Run for your lives, shouted one of the defenders, and the entire village fled to the mountains. The invaders plundered everything of value—livestock, jewels, and arms—while the greedy rajah seized the prized diamond for himself.

During the bloody battle, his father, the king, suffered a deep gash on his shoulder. Bravely, but foolishly, he ignored the wound, and an infection developed. He died in agony of gangrene poisoning within three weeks.

Tearfully, the fourteen year old prince swore he would avenge his father’s death and regain the family diamond. That was five years ago. Now, he was a man. Tonight the rajah would die.

I have counted the moments until this hour. I am my father’s instrument of retribution. A life for a life; the great diamond shall be mine, the youth repeated to himself.

Earlier that evening, the slovenly old rajah had gorged himself on wine. With bloodshot eyes and an unsteady step, he fumbled down the long corridor to his bedroom for the night. Mumbling incoherently, he carelessly stripped a jeweled turban from his head and dropped it to the floor. Within minutes, the drunken rajah was asleep atop a bed of carpets, unaware his life would soon end. While the old man snorted like a wounded bear, his mouth agape, the prince stood soberly above him and glared.

It is time for you to die, old dog! Slowly, the prince unsheathed a long silver dagger from his belt. A life for a life; you must die!

As the prince pounced upon the rajah, the stench of stale alcohol and sweat filled his nostrils. Ignoring the odor, he gritted his teeth and lifted the dagger high above his head with his right hand. When his left hand seized the rajah’s throat, the terrified old man’s wine-soaked eyes bulged in disbelief.

Please! I do not understand. Why do you wish me harm? What do you want? begged the squirming rajah.

A life for a life; you must die!

The glint of the dagger revealed the youth’s purpose. The rajah tried to cry out to his guards for help, but it was too late. The dagger struck. The old man’s severed vocal chords refused to respond. Death had caught him unprepared.

Blood spewed from the folds of fat surrounding the rajah’s wrinkled neck, oozing across his chest and soaking into the white silk carpets beneath his flabby body. All color faded from his face, creating a stark contrast between his ashen pallor and the bright red puddle of blood beneath him. It was over quickly. The rajah was dead.

The prince stared at the corpse of his enemy. The rajah looked so innocent and harmless. All hatred quickly vanished. Instead, revulsion and disgust followed the initial feelings of exhilaration and revenge. Regardless of the justification, the taking of a human life was a terrible act.

Forgetting the rajah’s corpse, the prince drew himself to the task at hand. First, he surveyed the dimly lit room for a sign of the lost diamond. As he strained to adjust his eyes to the darkness, he spied the outline of a box on a table in the far corner. That must be it,

He crossed the room and picked up the ornate black and gold engraved jewelbox. Wiping the blood from his dagger, he pried the blade into the lock. The lid sprang open, and a large diamond resting on a purple velvet pad appeared. Glistening with an eerie incandescence in the flickering candlelight, the diamond was even larger and more magnificent than he had remembered. The stone cried out to be touched.

As his fingers moved toward the diamond, he glanced nervously toward the motionless body on the floor and shuddered. Turning away from the corpse, the youth marveled at the beautiful diamond in his hand. It was his at last.

Glory to the gods! It shines like the stars, he muttered.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of voices outside the door. His life was in grave danger. Instinctively, he tucked the jewel box beneath his cloak, climbed through an open window, and disappeared into the blackness of the night,

Throughout the ages, the desire for precious gems has played a key role in the creation of eastern history, The most famous of all such stones was the spectacular Koh-I-Noor Diamond. Its impressive size, dazzling beauty, and intriguing background made it India’s most tempting treasure.

Even today, the Koh-I-Noor’s exact origin remains a mystery. One early legend stated a child found it along the banks of the Godavari River in India in 57 B.C. Supposedly, the great diamond found its way from the child to the royal treasury. Another story dated the Koh-I-Noor centuries earlier to the time of Carna, the rajah of Anga.¹

Many ancient Hindus supported a third theory. They believed the Sun God forged the Koh-I-Noor from a simple lump of earth and presented it as a gift to his friend Lord Krishna, the Hindu warrior and philosopher deity. Although Krishna loved the stone, he impishly decided to use it as a tool to test mankind’s greed.

I shall bequeath this regal gem to the maharajahs of India, Krishna thought. No mortal can resist the seduction of so great a prize. I shall observe how man deals with my gift.

As the bear is drawn by the lure of the honey, oblivious to the brutal sting of the bees, so Hindu, Muslim, and Christian alike met their tragic destiny pursuing the Koh-I-Noor. Krishna must have chuckled with amusement as he watched princes and kings struggle to win the diamond.

For centuries, the Koh-I-Noor passed from one generation to the next as a potent charm. The Indian poets lyrically described the diamond as a giant gem, eternally bright, an impressive symbol of regal might.

Originally, the fabled stone was named Semantik Mani, the Prince and Leader of All Gemstones.² The Hindu maharajahs believed the Koh-I-Noor had enormous mystical powers. Whoever owned the diamond would rule the world. As various travelers viewed the stone, reports of its size and fame magnified, and superstition surrounding it grew.

During the fourteenth century, the Semantik Mani belonged to the Hindu rajah of Malwa, reputedly the richest man in all India. Pigeon blood rubies, Kashmir sapphires, crystal clear diamonds, and large cream colored pearls filled the rajah’s treasury. Exquisite silk carpets and golden statues of the gods lined his throne room.

The empire of the ambitious Moslem warlord, Sultan Ala-ud-din, pressed close to the rajah’s borders. The sultan had recently assassinated his uncle to usurp the throne of central India, but the narrow borders of his newly acquired country constricted him. He longed for the wealth of his Hindu neighbor.

This short, thick-set Moslem ruler with the burning black eyes and swarthy complexion was a man to be feared and respected. An imposing sight in his long white achkan robe and pleated turban, Ala-ud-din wore heavy metal bracelets on his wrists containing writings from the Koran testifying to his religious fervor. When he spoke, those around him listened.

How dare we tolerate Malwa’s ill-deserved riches while our Moslem brothers scarcely have enough to eat? Ala-ud-din asked.

The Hindu infidels are sinners, replied the sultan’s devout advisor, Azad Ali. It is written that those who resist conversion must die.

A trusted general stepped before Ala-ud-din’s throne and bowed.

My lord, may I speak?

Ala-ud-din nodded.

"I have seen Malwa, and the land is green and fertile. Her gardens teem with plump figs, sweet mangos, and all forms of rich fruit. The sounds of strange and exciting birds fill the air. Striped chipmunks and long-tailed monkeys climb through the trees. The forests abound with wild game. Malwa is rich. Our land is poor. Here jackals howl at the empty sky, the crows caw harshly, and the soil is parched and barren.

The rajah of Malwa owns rubies of all sizes and shapes, carved pagan icons, and rare rosé pearls from the sea. He has a giant diamond unequaled in all of India. Our country is devoid of jewels. This should not be. Malwa is weak; we are strong. Let us crush this godless nation, my lord.

Alu-ud-din smiled at his loyal officer to signify approval.

Yes, Malwa shall be ours.

In 1304, Ala-ud-din’s army struck a deadly blow against Malwa. Following a brief struggle, the outnumbered Hindu soldiers fled from the savage Moslems. As the invaders marched toward the defenseless capital, a terrified Hindu general burst into the rajah’s chamber with devastating news.

The Moslem vultures swarmed upon us with the strength of ten armies. Their swords cut down Malwa’s bravest warriors. Our cavalry has been destroyed. The infantry has fled. We are finished. Even now, Ala-ud-din and his barbarians prepare to sack the city. We are dead men.

The panic-stricken rajah feared Moslem justice. Ala-ud-din was a cruel man who hated the Hindus. When he conquered the unfortunate inhabitants of the Hindu nation of Gujarat, the survivors elected to kill their own women and children rather than trust to Ala-ud-din’s mercy.

The defeated rajah slowly lifted his ponderous body from the throne. His round olive-colored face reflected the pain and humiliation of defeat. His soft, gray melancholy eyes pleaded for help. The rajah’s world of power and luxury had collapsed. Only agony, unhappiness, and death awaited him.

He stared sadly at the throne built by his grandfather’s artisans more than fifty years ago. Soon, it would be lost forever. Cast from the purest gold, massive clawed legs supported its carved seat. Intricate figures of the gods adorned the heavy armrests. Next to his giant diamond, the throne was his most precious possession.

The throne! By the gods, that’s it! I’ll use the throne. General, if we hurry all may not be lost. We shall play on Ala-ud-din’s greed. Order the royal jewelers to dismantle the throne and melt it into a statue of my image. Deliver this gift to the Moslem to signify our unconditional surrender. If the sultan demands more gold or precious stones, advise him that I have a stock of them such as the eyes of the mountains have not seen and the ears of the fish have not heard. Surely this will melt his heart and cause him to spare us.

Ala-ud-din marveled at the rajah’s wealth. The gold statue and the jewels from the treasury were magnificent, but one gem was unique. The Koh-I-Noor Diamond awed even the mighty Ala-ud-din. He called it a work of Allah and valued the stone above all Malwa’s treasures.

As to the poor rajah, he suffered horribly at the sultan’s hands. The wonderful gifts only encouraged Ala-ud-din to extort forcefully the balance of Malwa’s riches.

For more than ten years, India groaned under Ala-ud-din’s repressive rule. He was a strong-willed inflexible despot who proved equally unpopular with both his Hindu and ‘Moslem subjects. Few mourned his death.

As soon as the sultan’s body had been interred, India burst into chaos. With Ala-ud-din’s firm hand removed, the petty nobles of Delhi struggled for control of the empire and the precious diamond that went with it. As one prince eliminated another, it became obvious no man was strong enough to dominate India.

While conflict tore the country assunder, the Koh-I-Noor mysteriously vanished, probably buried deep within the confines of some noble’s vault. The great diamond would not resurface again for almost two centuries.

Even as the Koh-I-Noor quietly awaited another twist of fate, a large new power formed along the northeastern border of India. The savage Mongol tribes from Turkestan combined to create a mammoth army under the leadership of Timur, the Scourge of Asia.

In 1398, Timur and his barbarian hordes forded the gentle Indus River on horseback, looting the border towns along the way. Paralyzed with fear, divided India reacted slowly.

At the pivotal Battle of Panipat, Timur decimated the token Indian resistance.³

Following up his victory, Timur raced to the unprotected capital city of Delhi. His brutal warriors raped the helpless Indian women, slaughtered children, razed Hindu shrines, destroyed homes, and pillaged Delhi’s wealth. In a matter of hours, the Mongol invaders reduced centuries of Indian history to rubble.

After plundering everything of value, Timur returned to his homeland. Ninety elephants carried silk carpets, gold, and precious jewels. He stole an entire trunk filled with famous diamonds. Miraculously, the Koh-I-Noor, hidden away in some unknown place, escaped detection.

Timur proved Mother India was vulnerable. The wounds inflicted by his Mongol troops were severe, and the scars remained for decades. Other invaders recognized and exploited this weakness as India developed into a playground for thieves, robber-barons, and fortune hunters.

In the middle of the fifteenth century, the Lodis, a semi-barbaric Moslem family from present day Afghanistan, emigrated to Northern India. Employing the law of might, the Lodis carved an extensive empire reaching from the borders of the Punjab in the north to the frontiers of Bengal in the south. Bordering Hindu provinces came to fear the vicious foreigners, and rival Moslem states in Sind, Gujarat, Multan, Malwa, Kandesh, and Bengal lacked the necessary strength to defeat them.

"The Lodis rule by fear and violence; so