Hours after the death of the British Monarch on Thursdays, the United Kingdom began its state-of-the-art preparations, to bid adieu and honor their queen one last time.
In India however, netizens took to Twitter, voicing a rather uncomfortable question:
What will happen to the Kohinoor? Will it come back to its proud homeland or stay back in Britain, with Camilla?
queen dies and the first thing that india trends is kohinoor 💀 pic.twitter.com/7YbnPgJRlx
— bigger than rue 🪷 (@7OSRUE) September 8, 2022
India’s Mountain of light
This brilliant 105.6-carat diamond holds the prestige of being one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, mesmerizing viewers with the intrigue that the diamonds possess. The Kohinoor is one of 2800 precious jewels studded ceremoniously in a priceless platinum and diamond crown which, designed in 1935, originally belonged to the mother of Elizabeth II.
The priceless crown will now be worn by Queen Camilla, as king Charles III steps in for the British throne.
Grief poured in on Twitter, some in respect for the queen while others, lamenting the fate of the Kohinoor, a strong reminder of how the British plundered India of its treasures during their rule decades ago.
A deep dive into its dark history
The controversial jewel which is believed to have been mined near Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, has had many owners.
Here’s how BBC described the jewel, “It has been the subject of conquest and intrigue for centuries, passing through the hands of the Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers, and Punjab Maharajas.
There have been different versions of who had the Kohinoor, going as far as being mentioned in Babur Nama.
However the last time, it was seen in India was under the ownership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th-century ruler of Punjab.
Although the Maharaja willed it to a temple in Odisha, his successor Dilip Singh, handed it over to the East India Company after the handover of the diamond was agreed upon in the Last treaty of Lahore. Sources claim Dilip was only a child when he passed on the jewel to the East India Company.
In 1850, the East India Company sent the diamond from Bombay to Buckingham palace, followed by an exhibition to showcase the eternal beauty of the jewel. Sensing the public’s apprehension regarding the credibility of the jewel, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, had it recut and polished, a long process that made the diamond what it is today.
The Kohinoor then became a constant in royalty circles, emanating glory and brilliance on the wearer. The diamond finally found its rightful heir in the front of a dazzling crown worn by Queen Elizabeth, mother of Elizabeth II.
The crown is currently on display in the Tower of London.
This arises a question, will it go to Camilla?
How did the Indian government react to this?
The jewel had always been in the minds of Indians, who still latch on to the hope that the jewel is returned back to the place it belongs.
In his book an Era of darkness, Shashi Tharoor claimed that the British must return the loot as reparations for colonialism.
The Indian government had demanded the return of the Kohinoor on different occasions, one being in 1947. The British however, firmly refused, ruling out any possibility of the return of India’s pride. Interestingly, the Indian government had informed the Supreme court that the country should not try to reclaim it as it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken.
Indian Twitter users, however, remain unfazed, believing that one day, India shall reclaim the jewel.
Journey of #Kohinoor 💎: From India to England.
It should come back to its origin, the least UK can do towards the centuries of exploitation, opression, racism, slavery inflicted on people of the Indian subcontinent. pic.twitter.com/W7zHBLKOaf
— Anushree 🇮🇳 (@AnushreeSays_) September 8, 2022
If the King is not going to wear Kohinoor, give it back no.
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) September 8, 2022
The Anti-Colonialism Around the Globe👇👇
#IrishTwitter #BlackTwitter #QueenElizabeth #BritishEmpire #Kohinoor #KohinoorDiamond #DingDongTheWitchIsDead #LondonBridgeIsDown pic.twitter.com/Pz1Y6xnq5s
— The Eastern Kingdom 🕊️ (@KingdomEastern) September 9, 2022
Me leaving the buckhingum palace with kohinoor up my ass after lizzes death : pic.twitter.com/yLh5ipi1OE
— Addieyoncè stream Renaissance 🧣 (@addieyonce) September 8, 2022
