Fascinating history of mesmerising gem

AUTHOR: William Dalrymple and Anita Anand PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury RRP: $24.99

REVIEWER: Mary Ann Elliott

THE very name conjures mystery and intrigue, but little of the true facts are known about this mesmerising gem, until now.

Here is the first authoritative and comprehensive history of the Koh-I-Noor, arguably the most celebrated and mythologised jewel in the world.

In 1849 the 10-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh of the Punjab signed away vast tracts of land in a formal act of submission to a private corporation, the East India Company.

Surrounded by British dignitaries, he was also compelled to hand over to the British monarch, Queen Victoria, perhaps the single most valuable object in India, the celebrated Koh-I-Noor diamond.

After falling on deaf ears for decades, this single most famous object of loot, and symbol of Victorian imperial domination is once again at the centre of international dissension, as the Indian government calls for its return.

Colonialism has taken the most desirable objects from around the globe, as all conquistadors have done since Roman times or earlier.

The Koh-I-Noor was first looted from the eye of an idol, eventually falling into the hands of the Mughal dynasty, then for 100 years in Afghan hands, finally passing to Duleep Singh and thence to Queen Victoria.

Eschewing shaky fictional accounts, Dalrymple has researched its earliest history, exploring ancient Indian texts and tracing its journey from an object of desire to a powerful symbol of sovereignty.

Rare gems have often been potential inducements not just to theft but even to killing.

This powerful and controversial story involves greed, conquest, murder, bribery and seizure; all the ingredients for a compulsive thriller.

Anita Anand continues the second part of the book, concluding a compelling narrative that has turned an ancient gem with legendary powers into a lively diplomatic dispute.