In this, the conclusion of our extensive interview with Lahore based writer and historian Fakir Aijazuddin, we pose a few questions:
1. Why did the sun set on the Punjab empire almost immediately after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
2. What lessons can modern politicians learn from the life and times of Ranjit Singh - the Maharaja who ably ruled for over four decades and is still the only man ever, who conquered Afhganistan.
3. And what about the Kohinoor?
According to Fakir Aijazuddin, the Kohinoor was originally a bazuband or an arm band, which Maharaja Ranjit Singh acquired from Shah Shuja (a descendant of Ahmed Shah Abdali).
A portrait by a British artist of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, showing him wearing the Kohinoor armband Source: Fakir Aijazuddin
There are many interesting stories about how the Maharaja acquired the Kohinoor by guile – the most prevalent being that Sher e Punjab exchanged his turban with Shah Shuja as a sign of friendship, knowing that the Kohinoor was hidden in it.
‘But that is certainly not true,” says Fakir Aijazuddin. “The Kohinoor was actually a bazuband and would never have been hidden inside a turban. The truth behind the Maharaja’s acquistion of the priceless diamond is actually written by my ancestor Fakir Nooruddin in Tareekh e Kohinoor.”
It is reported that Fakir Nooruddin asked Wafa Begum, the wife of Shah Shuja, about the estimated price of the Kohinoor. Tareekh e Kohinoor reveals that Wafa Begum told Nooruddin, “If you throw four stones as far as you can to the north, south, east and west, and then throw a fifth stone as high up in the air as possible, and fill all of that area with gold, even that wouldn’t be enough to buy the Kohinoor.”
The original Kohinoor was the central diamond in an armband, as it was worn by Sher e Punjab, and others before him Source: Fakir Aijazuddin
The priceless diamond was then acquired by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who usually wore the bazuband with the Kohinoor on his left arm, as depicted in this portrait of him.
After the Sikh empire was annexed by the British in 1849, one of the terms of settlement was that the Kohinoor be handed over. It was then cut down and polished, and set in the royal crown to be worn by Queen Victoria.
When set in the royal British crown, the size of the Kohinoor was reduced to 108 carats – almost two-third of its original size. Fakir Aijazuddin says, “Apart from the demand that the Kohinoor be handed back to its rightful owners, my question is, where are the remaining 72 carats of the original Kohinoor?
The much reduced Kohinoor, which now adorns the royal British crown, first worn be Queen Victoria Source: Fakir Aijazuddin
Hear the concluding part of our interview with Fakir Aijazuddin by clicking on the link above, where he speaks about the sunset of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's empire, the utter confusion after his death, the annexation by British, and of course, the Kohinoor.
Please Note: The audio above is the final part of our extensive interview with Fakir Aijazuddin, the author of "The Resourceful Fakirs". The first two parts of this interview are available through the links below
The golden throne of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, from which he ruled for 40 years, but fell vacant a few years after his death Source: Fakir Aijazuddin
A photo of Fakir Aiajzuddin with noted Punjabi litterateur Khushwant Singh, taken two weeks before the latter passed away Source: Fakir Aijazuddin
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Manpreet Kaur Singh
