The curse of Kohinoor...

                         The Koh-i-Noor is a 109 carat diamond. The Persian King Nadir Shah who gave the stone its name, which means “Mountain of Light”. It used to be the largest known diamond in the world for many centuries. Koh-i-noor diamond was originally found more than 5000 years ago in India and is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit writings.

                         As per the hindu epics, it used to be known as Samanthika Mani, the diamond which was with the father of Sathya Bhama, then with Jambhavantha and then with Lord Krishna. The Puranas or the Mahabharata do not say what happens to the gem after the death of Krishna and the fall of Dwaraka.

                         Historical evidence say that the Kohinoor originated in Golconda kingdom. At that time it was said to weigh 793 carats, but through some cutting and polishing by a jeweller named Borgio it was reduced to 186 carats. This further reduced from 186 carats to its present size of just less than 109 carats.

                         It is believed that there is a curse associated with the diamond.

The Curse of the Kohinoor Diamond:

 "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."

                             It is true that, the lives of the rulers who owned the Koh-i-Noor diamond were filled with violence, murders, torture and treachery. This diamond in history passed through the hands of various Indian and Persian rulers who fought bitterly over it from the 14th century onwards.

Here is the history...

Initially, the following dynasties owned the diamond:
                The Slave dynasty (1206-90),
                The Khilji dynasty (1290-1320),
                The Tughlaq dynasty (1320-1413),
                The Sayyid dynasty (1414-51), and
                The Lodi dynasty (1451-1526)
All these were all brief reigns ending with war and violence.

1306   
The Rajah of Malwa was forced to give the diamond to the rulers of the Kakatiya Empire.

1323   
The Kakatiya Empire fell after a rule stretching from 1083 to 1323. Later, the diamond was taken by   Muhammad bin Tughluq  who became the Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351.

1323 - 1526   
The diamond came into the possession of the Delhi Sultanate and the muslim armies consisting of Turkic, Persian, and Afghan warriors invaded India

1526           
The diamond passed to the Mughal Empire when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans, at the First Battle of Panipat. The Mughal Empire ruled most of India for two hundred years and the Kohinoor passed from one Mughal Emperor to the other. Violence followed these years often marked by the sons of the Emperors rebelling and overtaking their fathers.

1639
Shah Jahan had the diamond placed into his ornate Peacock Throne. A struggle for the Empire started between his four sons - Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad Baksh when brother killed brother.Shah Shuja executed his brother Dara Shikoh and in then 1658 Aurangzeb defeated Shuja and Shuja who was tortured to death together with all his family.

1739
Persian King Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal Empire defeating their Emperor and stole the great Koh-i-Noor diamond. It was taken to Persia.

1747   
Nadir Shah was assassinated, the diamond passed to his successors, each were dethroned.

1800   
Ranjit Singh took the Empire and died in 1839

1851  
Dalhousie arranged that the diamond should be presented by Ranjit Singh's successor, Duleep Singh, to Queen Victoria, the Empress of India.

                         The British Royal family were aware of the Curse of the Kohinoor. It is believed that, when the diamond is in possession of a woman, the curse will not work. From the reign of Queen Victoria the Kohinoor diamond has always been with the wife of the male heir to the British throne.

Now, let us think...
India is planning a lot to bring the diamond back. Is it really needed...