Story of Syamantak mani: Following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, the strong clamours against the Monarchy system began. Driven by the strong feeling of Nationalism, every former colony of the British Empire wants to wipe out any trace of colonial attachment. Any association with the British Empire is a reminder of the dark chapters of history and the unspeakable horrors done by the colonial power.
It is a well-established fact that the Imperial British Empire grew at the expense of its former colonies. As per some reports, the British Monarchs have looted more than $45 trillion, and no price can be put on the grave inhumane atrocities and destruction of various culture, history and language.
However, there is nothing that can undo the historic injustices. But, a mere apology for their past sins can give closure to Indians and citizens of the former British colonies. Instead of repentance, the arrogant Britishers keep riding on high horse and preach India.
These glorified thugs forget that their Empire is built from the loot of its former colonies, the epitome of which rests in its stolen crown. The British Crown shamelessly adorns the stolen Koh-I-Noor. Here in this article, we will highlight how the priceless diamond Koh-I-Noor is treasured in Hinduism and deserves to be only in one Indian city.
History of Koh-I-Noor
Koh-I-Noor is the Arabic name given to this precious gemstone. In fact, it is the highly revered Syamantaka Mani which finds many references in Hindu scriptures. It is supposed to be blessed with magical powers. It protects the virtuous owner but brings chaos and hardships for its evil masters.
No matter how much communist distorians try to deny it, in reality, the story of this gemstone originates from Dwapar Yuga. It also appears in the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavata Purana.
Due to the atrocities of Jarasandha, Shri Krishna was forced to live in a city near the sea. This city was later known as Dwarka. The Dwarkapuri King named Satrajit started worshipping Suryanarayan. Impressed by his devotion, Surya Bhagwan endowed him this precious and blessed Syamantaka mani which was gracing his neckband.
It is said that the mani blessed its owner with nearly 77kg of gold every day. Furthermore, the mani was as bright as the sun and could illuminate the surrounding dark area.
Elated, Satrajit went to his kingdom with the gem on his neck. In the radiant glow of the Syamantak Mani, King Satrajit looked akin to Surya Bhagwan and people started worshiping him.
During a meeting, Shri Krishna asked Satrajit to let Ugrasena borrow the mani, since the Ugrasena’s kingdom was struck by natural calamities, poverty-ridden and needed change of fortune. Satrajit misjudged Shri Krishna’s intentions and declined the request.
Satrajit’s realisation
One day, Satrajit’s brother, Prasenjit went for hunting. He had borrowed the Syamantak mani from his brother Satrajit. Unfortunately, the hunter became the prey and a lion devoured Prasenjit. The predator took the gem in its mouth and went inside a cave. Later, Jamwant (king of bears) killed the lion and took the gem.
With no information of Prasenjit for few days, Satrajit misinterpreted his disappearance and accused that Shri Krishna must have done this to steal the Syamantak mani. He soon peddled his false version and launched a smear campaign against Shri Krishna.
Shri Krishna was enraged by false accusations and desperately wanted to prove his innocence. He ventured into the forest with his Sakhas in search of Prasenjit. Soon after, he discovered Prasenjit’s remains, and by following the footsteps of the lion, then of Jamwant, Krishna realised the entire progression.
When Krishna arrived at Jamwant’s cave, he noticed Jamwant’s daughter playing with the mani. Jamwant challenged Krishan to a fight for the valuable gemstone after hearing his daughter’s cry. The fight went on continuously for 28 straight days and Jamwant was getting exhausted. Being the fiercest and strongest warrior of that time, he realised that he was fighting with none other than Shri Ram’s reincarnation.
After realising the truth, Jamwant asked Shri Krishna for forgiveness and to marry his daughter Jambavati. The bear King then presented Krishna with the Syamantak mani as a gift.
Meanwhile, Krishna’s sakha had returned to Dwarka after a few days of the fight. Shri Krishna’s friends and family members kept praying for his safe return. Coincidentally, Krishna entered the city accompanied by his life companion.
Later, Krishna invited King Satrajit to his royal assembly and recounted the entire story of retrieving the Syamantak mani and returned the gemstone. On receiving the mani, he quickly realised his grave mistake and injustice meted out to Shri Krishna.
Recognizing that Shri Krishna was the sole lawful owner of the Syamantak mani, King Satrajit handed it over to Vasudev Shri Krishna.
Furthermore, knowing Shri Krishna’s matchless lineage and excellent integrity, he requested that Shri Krishna marry his daughter Satyabhama.
However, Vasudev accepted the marriage proposal but refused to receive the Syamantak mani, returning it to his now father-in-law Raja Satrajit.
Murder of Satrajit
After a few days, Shri Krishna and Balarama travelled to Hastinapura to examine the rumoured murder of the Pandavas in the Lakshagriha.
Kritavarma, Akrura, and Shatadhanva plotted to take advantage of Shri Krishna’s absence and steal the priceless mani. They were apparently motivated by anger and jealousy for Shri Krishna since they planned to marry Satyabhama.
Shatadhanva broke into Satrajit’s palace one night and hacked him to death while he was sleeping. He also succeeded in stealing the Syamantak mani. Traumatised, Satyabhama rushed to Hastinapur and told Krishna about the ghastly murder of her father.
Shri Krishna and Balarama immediately reached Dwarka. They agreed to avenge Satrajita’s murder and to get back the priced ornament. Fearing his inevitable demise at the hand of Shri Krishna Shatadhanva fled from the area after handing over the mani to Akrura.
However, Shatadhanva couldn’t defy his eventual fate and was chased after by Krishna and Balarama. Finally, Shri Krishna killed him at the outskirts of Mithila. However, Vasudev could not recover the Syamantak mani from Shatadhanva and reported all these developments to his brother Balarama.
You must have grasped the intricate history of Syamantak mani, now known as Kohinoor, and its link with Shri Krishna by now. Following that, we shall discuss its voyage, how several monarchs obtained the Koh-I-Noor, and how it came up in the loots of the British Empire.
Do you know that some jewels are valuable not because of their chemical composition, but because of the specific powers or connections they possess? Syamantak mani, or Koh-I-Noor, is thought to be one such gemstone that picks its owner.
Reappearance of the Syamantak mani
The Syamantak mani resurfaced in the 14th century. As per modern historians, the precious gemstone was mined from the Kollar mines of Andhra Pradesh on the south bank of the Krishna River. Was it just a coincidence that it was found near Krishna River?
Anyways, in 1320, after the fall of the Khilji dynasty in the Delhi Sultanate, Ghazi Malik, or Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ascended the throne.
He tasked his son Ulugh Khan, popularly known as Muhammad bin Tughlaq, to defeat King Prataparudra of the Kakatiya dynasty in 1323. Initially, the resilient army of Warangal repulsed the attack and defeated Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
However, he came back with a larger army and overwhelmed the Kakatiya dynasty and defeated them. The barbarian horde committed unspeakable horrors and plundered the city. They looted an abundance of gold, silver, ivory and other precious belongings from the city.
The priceless Syamantak mani was also a part of this gigantic loot. It was claimed that it was embedded in the left eye of the murti of the Goddess Bhadrakali in the Bhadrakali Temple of Warangal. The Kakatiya dynasty regarded the goddess Bhadrakali as their kuldevi.
The gem then traded hands and Mughal emperor Babur got hold of it in 1526. The written commentary on this gem starts from here. Babur in his autobiography Baburnama wrote that this diamond belonged to a (Anonymous) King of Malwa in 1294.
The gemstone’s worth can be gauged from the fact that Babur claimed that it can feed the entire humanity for two days. Baburnama mentions that the King of Malwa was forced to surrender his inheritance to Alauddin Khilji.
Later, it was carried forward by the successors of the Delhi Sultanate and finally in 1526, Babur inherited it by defeating the Sultanate. In Baburnama, he did not call the diamond by its present name. The Syamantak mani later got the name, Koh-i-noor.
Aside from Baburnama, the origin of this valuable diamond is also mentioned in Humayun’s history. It is said that the diamond was once owned by the Kachwaha dynasty of Gwalior. It then reached the Tomar kings. Its final ruler, Vikramaditya, was defeated and imprisoned in Delhi by Sikandar Lodi.
Mughals afterwards defeated the Lodi and plundered all of his assets. Humayun agreed to free him and enabled the Lodi ruler to take safety in Mewar, Chittor.
Vikramaditya rewarded this so-called generosity of Humayun and gave him the precious Syamantak Mani. However, Humayun was living in troubled waters and was quickly defeated by Sher Shah Suri. The cycle of misfortune continued and Sher Shah Suri died in Rohtas fort after being hit by a cannonball.
Similarly, his son and successor Jalal Khan was assassinated by his brother-in-law. The brother-in-law, later, was betrayed by his courtiers and was removed by a coup-d’etat by his ministers. The newly ascended king suffered an eye injury in one winning battle and he later went on to lose his sultanate forever.
Ironically, Akbar, son of Humayun, never possessed the Syamantak mani and went on to reign for 49 long-years. The gem resurfaced in the Mughal treasury under the rule of Shah Jahan. He got the Kohinoor installed in his famous Peacock-Throne (Takhte-Taus). He, then, suffered a tragic end at the hands of his own son, Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb killed his three older brothers in cold-blood. Furthermore, legend has it that Aurangzeb positioned the Syamantak mani on the prison window so that his father, Shah Jahan, could see the Taj Mahal.
The Syamantak mani remained with the Mughals until the invasion of the Iranian ruler Nadir Shah in 1739. He caused widespread destruction and loot in Agra and Delhi and took the immense wealth to Persia including the Peacock Throne.
Apparently, it was Nadir Shah who gave the diamond its present name. Astonished by the beauty of the diamond, Nadir was awestruck and called it Koh-I-Noor, Persian for Mountain of Light. Evidently, there is no reference to this name, Koh-I-Noor until that time.
In 1747, Nadir Shah was assassinated and the diamond went into the hands of Afghani ruler, Ahmad Shah Abdali. After a long period, in 1830, one deposed Afghan ruler Shuja Shah fled the territory along with the precious gem, Koh-I-Noor. To seek refuge in Punjab and ask for his assistance to get back the control of Afghanistan, he gifted the mani to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
In return for the priceless diamond, he got support from Ranjit Singh. Raja Ranjit Singh was prepared to send his troops to capture Afghanistan and crown Shah Shuja as the ruler of Afghanistan.
Later, Koh-i-noor returned to India when Ranjit Singh declared himself the Maharaja of Punjab. In 1839, on his deathbed, he wrote in his will to donate the priceless Koh-I-Noor diamond to the famous Hindu temple in Puri, Orissa, that is, Sri Jagannath Temple. However, certain vested interests started controversy over the death wish and it could not be fulfilled.
Unfortunately, the Union Jack was planted at the Lahore Fort on March 29, 1849, and Punjab fell under colonial control. In 1853, the harsh tyrannical British enslaved Duleep Singh and later converted him to Christianity. The Maharaja of Lahore was forced to surrender the Koh-I-Noor to the British Empire under the terms of the Lahore Treaty.
It stated, “The gem Koh-i-Noor, which was taken from Shah-Shuza-ul-Mulk by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, would be handed over by the Maharaja of Lahore to the Queen of England.”
The treaty of Lahore was overseen by then-Governor General Dalhousie. The fundamental motive for the Lahore pact was his desperate desire to obtain Kohinoor. His works are not only contentious and horrifying from an Indian perspective; some British pundits have also criticised the heinous actions done in the pursuit of Koh-i-noor.
Some Brits proposed that the diamond be given directly to the Queen rather than being taken away with force. But Dalhousie saw it as a war profit and treasured it as such.
Later, in 1851, Dalhousie arranged a travel for Duleep Singh, the successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, to England. The thirteen-year-old Duleep Singh was forced to gift the diamond to Queen Victoria so that it later can be dubbed as a legal transfer or gift rather than a part of loot from India.
Also Read: The history of Onam and the complete story of Raja Bali that pop-mythologists don’t tell you
As per some claims, this offering was the last instance of a precious gem being transferred as a war commodity.
Just like all other cruel and barbaric rulers, Britain too suffered the harsh consequences of deceitfully gobbling the Syamantak mani aka Koh-i-noor. The Koh-i-noor brought ill-fates for all the sins of the British Empire.
Imperial Britain, which boasted that the sun never sets down on its empire, was forced to take exit from its colonies, before being forced to serve Justice for the crimes they committed endlessly for centuries.
The story is so gripping and interesting that it can be adapted into an engaging thriller movie, but surely not by the incompetent Bollywood cabals.
It is unfortunate that the Communist distorians adulterated and cropped every portion of history which described the glorious past of our Indian civilisation and greatness of Sanatan Dharma.
However, we have to make sure that in the cacophony of propaganda and skewed Macaulyian education system, we don’t forget to pass on our cherished history and culture to the new generations.
The misinformation campaign on Koh-I-Noor and disputed false claims of Afghanistan and Pakistan on the precious mani has to be countered with its historic significance and revered connection with Hinduism.
As those who wear it as a sign of arrogance and power over their head have to face the brunt of the blessed mani. The rightful place of the Syamantak mani is in Dwarkapuri at the feet of Shri Krishna.
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