Author: Kevin Rushby
Publisher: Flamingo
Year: 2000
Language: English
Pages: 272
ISBN/UPC (if available): 0006552153
Description
One man's remarkable odyssey across India on the trail of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond.
Few diamonds have such a turbulent history as the Koh-I-Noor, Mountain of Light. Thought by some to have been the first diamond rescued by Krishna, its great beauty has been fought over, cursed and even lost. It now lies in the Tower of London as part of the Crown Jewels, a symbol of Empire, its ownership disputed.
Kevin Rushby follows the path of the Koh-I-Noor diamond through many fascinating corners of India, from the allegedly extinct mines of Golconda in the South to the Mughal Palaces of Agra and Delhi in the north, ending in Amritsar, fabled Holy City of the Sikhs.
Along the route of the Koh-I-Noor, Rushby uncovers the illicit diamond trade of today and stumbles across historical characters who owned the diamond - from Babur the first Mughal who calmly gave the great jewel away, to Nadir Shah, who waged a war for it.
Through his travels Rushby finds the heart of Indian culture and discovers the religious symbolism and mysticism behind the passion for diamonds - a journey that is humorous, informative and, as it progresses, increasingly dangerous.
COMMENTS:
A Highly entertaining book. - Times Literary Supplement
Intrigue counterbalances the elegance of his prose. - Literary Review
One man's remarkable odyssey on the blood-splattered trail of the world's greatest moonstone - a story that evokes the fabulous mines of Rider Haggard and the adventures of Sinbad, following a path that at times shimmered tantalizingly in the air like stardust before disappearing into a labyrinthine underground of dealers, smugglers and petty crooks. - Sunday Times