My Love Story with India - Part 1 

My trip to India was a most inspiring one. The diverse people, ancient and rich history, embellished culture, transcendent belief systems, lifestyle, roaring economy and technological advancement and evolution always left the word ‘incredible’ sitting at the tip of my tongue! I swear (hahaha).

In this 8-part series, I hope to take you on an incredible trip. You see how the word just slipped from the tip of my tongue onto this page? Okay. No more talking, let’s ride!!!

Every country deserves a Brand Perception. India chose the word “Incredible”, meaning beyond belief! And that’s been my experience.

From the Indira Gandhi airport, through the city landscape, India reminds me thoroughly that I am not on any other soil but India’s: its peculiar odor, the bright and beautiful colourful dressing of its inhabitants, old and modern architecture - a mixed blend of India, Persia, Gothic, Greek, Palladian, Art Deco and post modernist; blaring car horns, hustling and bustling of commuters, I watch the city gradually wake up from its slumber.

India is an ancient country. Its name has been in existence long before the 4^th century BC, the period since Herodotus of Greek. To give you better context, the ancient Rig Veda (the canonical sacred text of Hinduism, 1500-1200 BCE) is approximately 4,000 years old, closest in time frame to the oldest written text (not hieroglyphs) the Sumerian Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh (2250-2000 BCE), are both older than the Bible (3,400 years or less depending on which dating you use).

The name ‘India’ is actually an Old English Derivative of the 9^th century coined from the original Greek word for it. It owes its name to the Sindhu (Indus River). And when the English took interest in India in the 17^th century (that is the 1600s) using its East India Company (originally owned by John Gold) in its transatlantic trades, the name reappeared in Modern English. But in early modern English under the influence of the French, the translation of the name was known as 'Indie’.

India is known by many names, depending on the age of person narrating the story, the context under discussion or how versed the discussants are. This country was originally known as Hindustani, Jambudivipa, Nabhivarsha, Bharatavarsha, and finally India. Today, the contry is commonly known by its shorter names, India or Bharata. Historically speaking, it was the Persians who coined the name Hindustani.

The Moghuls or Mughal Empire (which were mostly ethnic Turks, have their historical antecedent traced back to the Mongol Empire) ruled India for 200 years from the 1500s to 1700s. And for another 250 years (c.1600-1947) the British held sway over India, first as a trading opportunity via the East India Company when the Portuguese started losing control of the East Asia Spice Trade. 

Mughal Emperors

However, that position changed hand when the British became engulfed in the famous Seven Years War (1756-1763) against the Mughal princes, brigands, and French to defend its trading posts in India. After winning the war, Britain began to assert and assume its dominance for 150 years, stamping its imprint as a colonial power. Put together that’s over 400 years of colonization of India from two widely disparate empires!

The wider you travel all over India, it is not hard to see why this country was such an attraction for power hungry and loot-loving invaders, dynasties, empires and colonizers such as the Persians, Turks, Portuguese, French, and English including trading companies like the East India Company owned by John Gold who sailed under the license and Name of Her Majesty.

India is a land of treasures! Of culture, spices, fauna, gem stones, flora, grandeur, vibrant rich colours, technological continuum, palaces, temples, incredible history, good food, great culture, and beautiful women!

And before the British ‘ran away’ from India, they took along with them the best of its gemstones: the No. 1 World’s Famous Koh-I-Noor diamond – the largest known diamond in the World back (from the 13^th to 19^th century). The Koh-I-Noor diamond, a 105 carat (21.6 grams) originated at Golconda in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh was mined at the Kollur Mine.

The original owners of the diamond were Persian rulers, Mughals, Mongols, and various Sikhs who fought each other and whoever emerged victorious as the new emperor or king claimed ownership of the diamond. 

The Koh-i-noor was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850
but India wants the jewel returned

However, as the British expanded its territorial powers, rather than execute the will of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder and ruler of the Sikh Empire and last possessor of the diamond who died in 1839, that the diamond be willed to the Hindu temple of Jagannath in Puri, the Governor-General of the British Empire, Dalhousie, with the British flag now raised over Lahore proclaiming it as part of the British Company rule in India, on 29 March 1847 in the treaty, simply stated:

“The gem called the Koh-i-Noor which was surrendered by Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk to Maharaja Ranjit Singh and then surrendered by the Maharaja of Lahore to the Queen of England…”

From Dalhousie’s perspective, the stone was a token and a spoil of war that should be transferred to the newest conqueror just as it had changed hands amongst the Mughals. Then in 1850 using technicalities of conqueror-conquered, he arranged for the ‘conquered’ Prince and successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Dulip Singh, aged 13 years travel to the United Kingdom to formally present the Koh-I-Noor diamond to Queen Victoria of England. 

Queen Alexandra wearing the Koh-i-Noor
 in her coronation crown caption (1902).

Today this gemstone remains the property of the British crown kept in the HM Tower of London as a popular tourist attraction. Koh-I-Noor is a Persian language meaning “Mountain of Light”, and originally was 793 carats when uncut, is beyond priceless; the amount of which the costliest diamond on today’s market, The Cullinan worth $400 Million cannot equate itself. 

Although the Indians want their precious stone back, David Cameron, Prime Minister of Britain has stated unequivocally that the matter of 'returning' is a foregone conclusion. This is quite understandable from their perspective as the Koh-I-Noor is seriously woven into the historical and cultural fabric and sensibilities of British consciousness.

And hey! Did you know that the word ‘Mogul’ is actually a coinage from the original name bearers, The Mughals? Funny thing is ‘Moghul’ is actually a corruption of ‘Mughal’. So when you say someone like Simon Cowell is a music Mogul, think again.

Well, that’s enough history to wet your appetite. It is time to visit the capital of India, New Delhi! Click the link for Part below to read that story. Stories 2 to 8 takes you to at least five different key towns and cities in India, India car manufacturing and technology, India marriages, India social life and much more.

Part 2: http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-2-new.html.

Part 3: http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/love-story-with-india-part-3-delhi.html.

Part-4:http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-4-my-love.html.

Part 5: http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-5.html.

Part-6:http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-6-jaipur.html

Part 7: http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-7.html

Part-8:http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/my-love-story-with-india-part-8-entre.html

Attribution: Attribution: Book by Sir Charles Lawson, photo by W. and D. Downey - Memories of Madras by Sir Charles Lawson. Photo by W. and D. Downey; Wikipedia Common;  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2282104/; www.indianetzone.com