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top ten priceless items stolen from india by british

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• published: 26 Apr 2016
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The finest jewels and the precious treasures that Indian rulers once boasted was cold-bloodedly looted by the invaders, especially the British. Sad but true, today none of these invaluable artifacts, jewels and relics lie within the geographical borders of India. here are 10 such priceless Indian artifacts which were stolen by the British from the Indian soil: Kohinoor Diamond, Sultanganj Buddha, Nassak Diamond, The Sword and Ring of Tipu Sultan: After the heroic death of the Tiger of Mysore – Tipu Sultan, the British forces took away the ring and sword of Tipu Sultan and looted his arsenal. Both the war trophies of Tipu Sultan were displayed in the British Museum till 2004 after which Vijay Mallya placed the winning bid of £175,000 for the Sultan’s sword, and brought it back to the Indian soil. Successively, he also bought 30 other war items (at an £1 million investment) owned by Tipu Sultan from the UK auction houses including carved quivers. Flintlock pistols cannon, and other personal items. The Golden Throne of Maharaj Ranjit Singh: The throne was built by goldsmith Hafez Muhammad Multani from about 1820 to 1830. The throne is made up of resin core, wood and is covered with sheets of repoussé, and gold. However, in 1849, the British took this Golden throne as part of the state property when they annexed Punjab after the Second Anglo Sikh War. In 1851, it was displayed with other treasures of the Indian Empire at the Great Exhibition. It is now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum with inventory number 2518(IS). The Royal Jade Wine Cup of Shah Jahan: This wine cup of Shah Jahan was made up of jade which was either imported from Central Asia or China. This White nephrite jade was specially designed for the Mughala emperor Shah Jahan who had a keen interest in arts and artistry. The cup dates back to 1657 CE. The length and width of this jade cup is 18.7 and 14 cm respectively. It was acquired by Colonel Charles Seton Guthrie after the 1857 revolt. It passed from several purchasers to Queen Maria of Yugoslavia. In 1962, it was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1962. Amravati railings and Buddhapada: In British Museum, London, you’ll see a magnificent collection of 70 pieces depicting India’s famed Amravati sculptures. These sculptures were excavated by the British almost 140 years ago after which they were shipped to London from Madras (now Chennai) in 1859. They are so beautiful that one of the experts even mentioned, “You won’t see anything like this in India itself.” In fact the carvings are also sometimes compared with the eminent Elgin Marbles. The Saraswati Marble Idol – Baag Devi: The marble statue of Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of music, knowledge and wisdom was one of the prized possession of the temple at Bhoj sala in Central India (Madhya Pradesh), established by an enlightened “philosopher king” Raja Bhoj in 1034 AD. He dedicated his reign to developing centers of art. The figure was donated to the temple by a local family. Although it is said that the statue got lost and was acquired by the British Museum in 1886, it is believed that when the East India Company defeated Hindus and conquered Malwa in 1826 AD, they also attacked Bhojshala and destroyed many monuments and temples. It is said that in one such raids, Baagdevi idol was looted by Lord Curzon. The Mechanical Tiger Of Tipu Sultan: The mechanical tiger of Tipu Sultan expresses his hatred towards his enemy, the British. It is a toy where a tiger is seen savaging a near life-size European man. This mechanical tiger was found by the British in 1799 when they stormed inside his summer palace after defeating him. It was first exhibited to the London public in 1808 in East India House and was later transferred to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1880 (accession number 2545(IS)). It now forms part of the permanent exhibit on the “Imperial courts of South India”. From the moment it arrived in London to the present day, Tipu’s Tiger has been a popular attraction to the public. The last surviving Mughal Throne: The Mughal style throne in the Topkapi palace treasury in Istanbul, gifted to Ottoman emperors by Naadir Shah and believed to be a part of the “Delhi loot” This was gifted by the infamous Nadir Shah of Iran to the Ottoman emperors. The throne is a masterpiece of the art of Indian craftsmen. It is in the form of a high-edged table resting on four legs. At the front is a low stool on which the feet were to be paced. The throne is covered with a cushion decorated with gold braid and pearls. The entire surface of the throne is covered with gold, with a red and green enamel wash and decorated with rubies, emeralds, and pearls. After Nadir shah’s death, the famous Peacock throne was broken down and destroyed by the assassins. Other Mughal thrones met the same fate. This also makes it the last surviving Mughal throne.