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| Orlov diamond stolen from the Srirangam Hindu temple,India. imgarcade.com |
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| Orlov diamond stolen from the Vishnu temple, Srirangam, India. imgarcade.com |
In India it has been part of the Hindu temple tradition and custom to adorn the idols of Gods and Goddesses with valuable gold jewelry with high quality precious stones. Most of the highly valued old jewels were donated by kings and Rajas in the olden days. In modern times affluent people do donate gold, silver, precious stones, coins, jewelry, etc., to the temple as part of their prayer and wish. India was, several centuries ago, a world leader in diamond production and now a few diamond mines are active and their production is not what it used to be in the past.
The famous Orlov Diamond, one of the few most valuable diamonds in the world, once the adorned the eyes of the deity in the famous Hindu temple dedicated to God Vishnu at Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, India. The diamond was stolen in 1747 by a French man and an army deserter from the Angelo-Carnatic war that was fought between the French forces led by Dupleix and Nawob Chanda Sahib on one side, and the British force on the other side, for the first time led by Robert Clive of East India company. Robert Clive emerged victorious and got a good name and along with it promotion.
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| tripod.com |
Above image: The Imperial Sceptre of Russia, viewed from straight-on. The Orlov is surrounded by a row of small Old Mine cut diamonds. The setting around the diamond is relatively simple and could very likely be replicated, but despite it, it is sadly unlikely the GIA will ever be able to fully examine the great diamond. Count Grigorievich Orlov (1723-83), a Russian nobleman and an army officer of great distinction was wounded a few times during the various campaigns of the Seven Years War. A man with upright character, he caught the fancy of the Grand Duchess and became her lover. After certain palace intrigues and coups, Catherine became the Empress.. .........
Having become a Hindu convert, the French ex- soldier regularly worshipped Lord Renganathar (Vishnu), the presiding deity of Srirangam temple, for some time to gain the trust of temple priests or Bhattacharyas. Normally, in all Hindu temples, non - Hindus are allowed up to a certain limit and the Hindus are allowed up to the entrance of the sanctum. Strictly only priests - mostly Brahmin priests are allowed into the sanctum/ Srikovil (Garbhagriham in Sanskrit) to perform regular Puja (prayer) which is a time-consuming temple ritual. This custom has been in practice for more than 1500 years. That, how the French man had removed the stone from God's eye in a high-security inner shrine, is still a mystery.
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| Orlov diamond sri Renganathar temple, Srirangam. panoramio.com. |
After scheming for some time and at the same time gaining the complete trust of the priests at the temple, one day the French man entered the sanctum and stole only one stone from the eye of the deity - Vishnu leaving behind the other diamond that adorned God's other eye because he was shaken-up and afraid of retribution. With great difficulty he took the stone to Madras (now Chennai), where he sold it to the captain of a British ship for 2000.00 pounds. The priests were answerable to the temple administrators.
Grief stricken over the stolen diamond, the temple priests cursed....''Whoever owns and wears this God's diamond will experience untold misery and pain till the world lasts.'' At London, the captain sold it to a trader for 12,000.00 pounds. Time passed and after a few owners, the Lord's diamond reached the hand of a Russian Count Gregory Orlov (also Orloff), an ex-lover of Empress Catherine the Great (previously princess Sophie Augusta).
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| Idols of God and his consorts. Srirangam temple,India.en.wikipedia.org |
The Count paid 400,000.00 rubles in 1772 (four years before American independence) through an Iranian trader. Count Orlov, presented it to Catherine the Great who had it set in the imperial Sceptre where it remains now. The stone was renamed as ''Orlov Diamond.'' Count Orlov could not win the heart of the empress despite his romantic overtures toward her. Disappointed and terribly depressed, he died in 1783. During the invasion of Russia by Napoleon, this valuable diamond was hidden in a priest's tomb. It is believed that when a soldier was about to lay his hand on the diamond, the priest's spirit appeared and scared him of. The French army later abandoned the war and went back.
Orlov diamond, is a large diamond and is part of the collection of the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin. It was mined at now defunct Kollur mines near Guntur in present day Andhra state (once part of Golconda kingdom). It weighs 189.62 carats and is a bluish white stone, one of the impressive Russian
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| Empress Catherine the great. famousdiamonds.tripod.com |
imperial jewel collections, described as having the shape and proportions of half a hen's egg. It's past history and curse are not some one's figment of imagination. Nor is it a matter of somebody's conjecture. Empress Catherine too did not lead a peaceful life in her later years.
There is also another famous diamond called 'Black' Orlov diamond or the 'Eye Of Brahma' apparently stolen from a Hindu temple in Pondicherry, S. India. Its past history is different from that of Orlov (Orloff) diamond stolen from Srirangam temple.
Tit-Bits:
This famous Sri Ranganathar temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is the largest one in India covering vast area of 156 acres and is also the largest religious complexes in the world. Further, this temple is listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. This ancient temple has been in existence since 6th century. The main inner Vimana (tower) right above the shrine, where the presiding deity is being worshipped, is covered with gold plates weighing several kilos. Almost 100,000 people visit this temple a month from all over India, Asia and the world. Everyday free food is served to a large number of people on the temple premises. This temple is a photographer's paradise.
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