Exhibit of Nizam’s jewels to open today

NEW DELHI: An exhibition of Nizam’s jewels will be inaugurated at the National Museum in Delhi on Monday, after a gap of 11 years. The exhibit will be inaugurated by Mahesh Sharma, the Union culture minister . The collection comprises 173 precious items, including the famous Jacob diamond, which is almost double the size of the Kohinoor.

The exhibits are spread over 28 showcases, and include sarpechs, necklaces, belts and buckles, pairs of bracelets and bangles, earrings, armlets, toe rings, finger rings, pocket watches, buttons and cufflinks,” Sanjib Kumar Singh, the curator of the museum, said. While diamonds from the mines of Golconda and Colombian emeralds predominate, Burmese rubies, and spinets and pearls from Basra and the Gulf of Mannar, off the east coast of India, are also displayed. The earliest items in the collection probably entered the Hyderabad treasury at the time of the annexation of the Deccan by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Nizam’s jewellery is one of the largest and richest collections of jewels, purchased in 1995 by the Government of India at a cost of ₹218 crore. The exhibition will remain open from February 19 to May 5, 10am to 6pm (except Mondays and national holidays). There is an entry ticket of ₹50 per person. The first exhibit was held in 2001, from August 29 to September 15. The second exhibition was held in 2007, from September 30 to December 30.