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FIRE IN THE EARTH
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curse:
that he who ever took it would lose it. That is legend, of course. But
it is interesting, as later events were to reveal, for attached to
that legend was another: He who sold it would receive less than what he
paid tor it.
No
man today knows how long that stone remained in the temple of the
goddess Siva, or when it was placed there, or by whom, or how and when
it was discovered. But earliest records show that the temple still was
revered during the height of the Hindu power of the Mahrattas. Then
there came a time when the powerful Mahratta confederacy was dominated
by the peishwas, without faith, cynical. They had wars on their minds.
They were fighting smaller chieftains and, more importantly, the
powerful East India Company of England.
To
finance these wars the peishwas, the last of whom was Baji Rao II,
began to loot the temples for their wealth. One of the things he seized
was this large stone of about ninety or more carats. But before he
could convert it into cash, the British swept into Nassak and captured
Rao, who was forced to surrender his throne. That was in 1818. But he
did not surrender the stone. He hid it.
The
British, however, commanded by the Marquis of Hastings (Francis Rawdon
Hastings), heard about it, made a thorough search, and found the
diamond. It became a part of the so-called British "Deccan Booty."
Hastings thereupon dubbed it the "Nassak" and sent it on to England.
Appraisers there put its value at $150,000.
$150,000?
Some say that the earlier Mahrattas caused the bloodshed of thousands
of men in order to obtain it. And then they had to pay for it. Then
they placed it in the temple and guarded it with the lives of slaves.
It was worth more than $150,000 to them. But now it was $150,000.
The English jewelers, Rundell and Bridge, were commis-
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