Kohinoor isn’t the only thing India wants back from the British!
We all have heard of the saga of the largest cut diamond ‘Kohinoor’, which was in India since the 12th century but now shines on the British monarchy’s crown, displayed in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. Regrettably, a long list of Indian treasured possessions seized, looted, stolen and plundered during the colonial period, still remain in the ownership of British museums and royals. The Nassak diamond, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s throne, Tipu Sultan’s ring, sword and wooden tiger to Sultanganj Buddha idol, Amaravati sculptures and royal jade wine cups of Shahjahan, are just a few to name. Well, the list doesn’t end here. Let’s look at a few priceless Indian possessions that remain in the ownership of the British. Their path back to India still remains unclear.
The wine cups of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who ruled India from 1628 to 1658, owned exquisite, paisley-shaped, wine cups made from the rare white nephrite jade stone. These were acquired by the Victorian and Albert Museum in London in 1962. The cups have a handle that is shaped like the head of a ram and the pedestal is surrounded with acanthus leaves and lotus flowers. Shah Jahan’s title, ‘Second Lord of the Conjunction’, is written on the cup in accordance with Persian-speaking royal titulature customs. The cup was made in 1657 CE for him and was influenced by Chinese, Iranian, European and Indian artistry. However, the name of the artist is not known. According to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s official website, it is reportedly one of the most precious surviving artifacts from the Mughal era.
The Sultanganj Buddha
A Buddha sculpture created 1500 years ago during the Gupta Dynasty (the golden age of north Indian art) is now preserved in the Birmingham Museum. This copper Buddha sculpture is 2.3-meter-tall, has a weight of 500 kg, and was discovered in Sultanganj, Bihar. Known as the largest Indian metal sculpture, this is a historical testimony of the extraordinary talent of Indian sculptors. Cire perdue, also known as lost wax casting, was used to create the Sultanganj Buddha from pure, unrefined copper. The body is made of clay and contains rice husks, which allowed radiocarbon dating of the sculpture. The statue is in the ‘Fearless Posture,’ with the left-hand palm facing down and right hand uplifted in the abhayamudra (a gesture of assurance or protection), which is thought to represent bestowing a favour. After staying buried for close to 700 years, the sculpture was discovered by E. B. Harris, a British railway engineer, during railway construction in 1862.
Personal possessions of Tipu Sultan
Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in South India from 1782 to 1799. Various museums in Britain now possess the ring, perfume and wooden tiger of the famed emperor Tipu Sultan. The Sultan fought against the British until his last breath, and his belongings were looted after his death.
A life-sized wooden tiger mauling a Caucasian figure in European clothes is one of the artistic treasures that was stolen from the Sultan’s chest. This automaton is symbolic of the hatred between the sultan and the British. What is interesting is that, an organ concealed inside the wooden tiger can be played by turning a handle on the side, making the dying man wail and move his arm up and down. Though Tipu Sultan’s sword was eventually returned to India in 2004 after being purchased by the Indian liquor baron Vijay Mallya for Rs 1.57 crore at an auction, his ring and the wooden tiger are still with the United Kingdom today.