THE ROMANCE OF THE koh-1-NUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6467, 22 April 1899, Page 2

THE ROMANCE OF THE koh-1-NUR.

(By ALICE CORKRAN.) iliirl's Ilealm.) The Koh-i-Nur, or Mountain of Light, is not the largest or the most flawless diamond in the world, but it is probably the most ancient. It certainly is the one that has the longest history. Mr Streeter, in his fascinating volume, "The Great Diamonds of the World," has traced the strange and lurid vicissitudes through ' which the marvellous gem has passed. The commencement of its history fades away into the dimness of time — and we must remember that before the Koh-i-Nur begaii its career upon the earth's surface, cosmic forces had been fashioning it for ages, lighting its rainbow fares, imprisoning their flames in crystal. It was probably millions of years old before it was picked up in the legendary East. Tradition says that 5000 years B.C. it was looked upon as a sacred gem — a spirit-guarded talisman, which,- by its virtue, brought victory to its possessor; by its baleful influence spread crime, war, disaster. Another tradition avers that 3000 years B.C. it was worn by Carna, Rajah of Anga, one of the heroes of the Mahabaratta, ' THE SACRED EPIC OP INDIA. If in the translucent depths of the Koh-i-Nur we could see mirrored its history there would pass before us in sinister procession all the grimes that spring from covetous- ' ness, all the terrors that are the outcome : of superstition. We would look upon scenes of murder, rapine, treachery. We would see sons murdering their fathers, brother killing brother, torturers, assassins, driven by one dominant impulse — the greed of possessing the mighty talisman. We would see bowed before it figures prostrate in worship. As we follow the history of the Kok-i-Nur we can well understand that to tie Oriental mind it seemed charged with occult powers. We can imagine the awe tlnat hedged it round, and the belief in the prediction that perdition would attend those who diverted the gem from its sacred uses, that Fate singled out the one who owned the Great Diamond. We know that this Indian, legend is a fantasy of the brain, that the Koh-i-Nur is no talisman. It possesses no supernatural power, but its inestimable splendour fired the imagination and kindled the covetousness of men, and the crimes they committed for its. sake brought with them their own fatality. No one knows where the great jewel was found; again tradition is our only guide, and tradition, says that it' was picked up in the mud of the Delta formed by the Godavery, the famous did- ' mond river which runs through Golconda, j • THE LAND OF JEWELS. The. legendary history <-,f tit* lli-h 1 -i\;ir covers many centuries, ll; is not, indeed, until the thirteenth century of our era that we can begin to trace its history, step by step, with certainty. Prom time imm'e inorial it had remained the property of the Rajahs of Malwa, who kept it guarded, worshipping it as tie mystic guardian o( their fortunes. It was about the year 1304 that the Rajah of Malwa was defeated by the Sultan Alla-ed-din, and the diamond became the possession of the victor. It was wrested from the descendants of the Alla-ed-din two hundred years later, by Sultau ' Baber, th 3 Emperor of Mogul, who valued the Ko>b-i-Nur at " half the expense of the whole w6rld." And now we can begin to .'■ piece together the tragic and romantic ; story of that stone of fate, dreadeil, ; COVETED AND WORSHIPPED. ( It is impossible to trace it in detail, but < let us imagine ourselves gazing into its ] depths of unfothotned light, and following : scenes of the lurid drama, as they form them- ;

selves before us. Here is the sinister' aM splendid figure of the Sultan Aumhg-zeb, seated on the Peacock Throne— Kike Macbeth, he has waded to sovereignty'" through blood. He has dethroned his father and . imprisoned Him in the Palace of Agra. He has murdered' his' two brothers and their children; he has slaughtered all those who stood between him and power. The Koh-i-Nu'r is his — who can wrest - victory from him? Mad with pride of power and oi assured ascendency, the usurper lias caused this throve to be made as a fit ambW of his might. Over the chair wrought of gold, encmsred with rubies, broods a Peacock with outspread tail. Every feather is fashioned of gems, and the bird's eves aremade of the two incomparable diamonds of the world { the Koh-i-Nur, mountain of light; the Koh-i-Tur, mountain of Sinai. Aurung-zeb sits beneath the bfcizlng bir:i. his black heart filled with>-.nrn of destiny, ( because the _ I^oli-i-Nuv', the mighty : talisman, spirit guarded, securer of ■victory, is his, ". ••■•■• . . . ■ ' : ;