Subject: [world-vedic] Kohinoor diamond crown placed on Queen's coffin
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2002 01:13:36 -0000
From: In the News
Reply-To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com
To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com

Kohinoor diamond crown placed on Queen's coffin
Updated on 2002-04-04 12:09:22

LONDON, April 04 (PNS): The Kohinoor-embedded Crown of the Queen
Mother will be placed on her coffin as a mark of tribute to her, the
palace sources said on Wednesday.

The crown was made for her to wear at the coronation of her husband
King George VI in 1937, though the controversial 105-carat oval cut
Kohinoor diamond was brought from India in 1849.

The 101-year old Queen Mother, who died on Saturday, had rarely worn
that crown, which is on display at the Tower of London as a tourist
attraction. The crown is normally kept along with others in a highly
secured glass case.

By the side of the case is a smaller case embedded in a wall that
displays the armband in which Maharaja Ranjit Singh once wore the
Kohinoor.

India has made repeated demands for the return of the Kohinoor,
saying it was taken away by subterfuge. Britain has, however,
steadfastly refused to oblige, reports PTI.

No male heir to the British throne has worn the Kohinoor following a
superstition that it brings bad luck to any male who wears it.

According to the funeral arrangement, a military spectacular
involving 1,600 servicemen and women will escort the Queen Mother's
coffin to lie in state at Westminster Hall.

 
Subject:   Link between ancient and modern times
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The history behind the Kohinoor
May 19, 2000

'The Mountain of Light', or the Kohinoor diamond, first finds mention in the
ancient Indian mythology as the 'Samantik Mani'. According to the epic
Mahabharata, Sun god gifted the diamond to his son Karna, who took the field
on the side of Kurus and wreaked havoc in the Pandava ranks in that ancient
battle for Suzeraint in North India.

Samantik Mani, which Karna wore on his right arm, made him invincible. It
was only after Arjuna - one of the five Pandavas - severed Karna's right
arm, on Lord Krishna's advice, that Karna was slain and the tide of battle
turned in the favour of Pandavas.

Arjuna later retrieved the diamond from the battlefield after the Kauravas
were defeated and handed it over to his brother Yudhistira at his
coronation.

Kurukshetra, where the battle was fought between Kauravas and Pandavas was
thus the Kohinoor's first link with war and conquest. (...)

Whole text: http://www.indiaabroad.com/news/2000/05/19/kohihistory.html