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Gems have been known to man for
thousands of years, Not only in India but other countries like Greece. According
to Agni Puran, when the great demon Vatrasur attacked the heaven and drove away
gods from there, Lord Vishnu advised the good-king Indra to go and beseech bones
from the self-negating saint, Maharishi Daddhichi. The story goes that the saint
forsook his own life and it was with his bones that the gods prepared a weapon (Vajra)
to kill the demon. It is said when the weapon was used against Vatrasur and hit
him, it broke his body into pieces and those pieces fell upon the earth and
later got transformed into various gems. Diamond is supposed to have originated
from saga's bones.
According to Hindu mythology
there is one more version. When the nectar was taken out of the sea, demons
possessed it and ran away with it and gods chased them. In the melle that
followed, some of the nectar drops fell upon the earth. Later those drops were
transformed into precious stones. Hindu mythology speaks of yet another source
of gems. It is said therein that once the demon king Bali was approached by the
god-king Indra, dressed up as innocent Brahmin and seeking an animal for
atonement. Indra pleaded with king Bali to become an animal so that he could
offer him in sacrifice to complete his yagna. Now Bali knew that he could not be
killed because of a boon he had already acquired. So he playfully agreed to
Indra's request. Indra knew about the boon and so he struck at his head rather
than Bali's body with his Vajra and blew away the demon king's body to pieces.
Those pieces got scattered all over the earth and it is said that from his bones
were formed Diamonds, from teeth Pearls, from his blood Ruby, from gall bladder
Emerald, From eyes Blue Sapphires, from heart bright blue Lapis Lajuli, from
bone Marrow Zircon, From nails Cats Eye, from fat Rock-Crystal, from semen
Bheeshma, from his flesh coral and from his skin Yellow Sapphire.
It is further said that out of
those stones Rahu preferred to take away Zircon and Ketu Lapis Lajuli. Sun took
away Ruby, Moon liked Pearls, Mars Coral, Mercury Emeralds, Jupiter Yellow
Sapphire, Venus Diamonds and Saturn Blue Sapphire.
Varahamihira, the ancient
astrologer, also writes about the demon-king Bali and gems and jewels.
In ancient times people
faithfully believed that the various gems were formed out of the body of the
demon-king Bali after he was struck by Vajra.
Diamonds came out
from the forehead of demon king.
Pearls were made
from his head.
Rubies were
produced from the blood.
Emeralds were
created from bile juice.
Coral were formed
from the blood drops falling into sea.
Yellow
sapphires-- These were produced of his flesh.
Blue sapphires --
Eye balls developed into them.
Moon-stones were
formed from other parts of the eyes.
Cat's eye were
created from the sacred thread.
Bheeshshma
Pashshaan-These were created from the semen drops.
Lapis Lajuli were
created from hair.
Touch-stones--they were created as the chest dropped on the ground.
Crystals--
They were created out of the sweat drops.
Bheeshsmaks --
They were formed as the head was severed.
Ghreeta Mani--
These were made from the belly of the demon.
There is also reference of gems
in Vishnu Purana, which is supposed to have been written about 200 years before
Christ. India was even known to export diamonds and other quality jewels, gems
and precious stones many hundred years before Romans started doing so. The
Peacock Throne of the Mughal emperors in India, which was decorated with gold,
diamonds and pearls, was so well-known that the Persian king invaded India and
took it away to his land along with other pearls and diamonds. The 'Blue Hope
Diamond" was found in south Golconda and is now lying in Smithsonian institute
in the US.
Gems were equally known and
popular in the West. The great empress Cleopatra was supposed to have welcomed
the Roman emperor, Julius Caesar, in a hall which was furnished with choicest
jewels and gems. One famous writer from Greece who lived in 287 before Christ
had written a book on diamonds and precious stones. Another Roman writer Pliny,
who lived between 62 and 113 A. D. , in his famous book, Natural History, has
written in great detail about gems. According to him merchants from Rome, Greece
and other parts of the world assembled in a port in Egypt and bought and sold
jewels and other precious stones.
In the 13th century Marco Polo toured a number of countries-- Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, China and
Burma-- and has written that gems and other treasures were traded in those
countries.
One French merchant who dealt in
jewels visited a number of countries including India, Iran and Turkey. He Went
as far as Golkunda in deep South (now Andhra Pradesh) and visited the mines
there. He has given a vivid account of his travels. According to him as many as
one lakh workers were engaged in mining in Golkunda.
Golkunda mines produced diamonds
in large numbers in the 17th century and attracted world's attention and did
large business. But now those mines are closed as Krishna and Godavari rivers no
more provide diamonds. At present diamonds are found in India in the pits of
Panna. They are providing diamonds weighing about ten lakh carat. But experts
who are on the job are of the opinion that the pits can offer diamonds two or
three-fold more than what we are getting at present.
Now diamond mines have been
discovered in Brazil (South America), South Africa, Australia, British Gyana,
Conga and Belgium. Brazil discovered its diamond mines around 1975. One of it
has the credit to produce the largest diamond piece, weighing 3085 carat, in the
world. South Africa discovered its mines around 1867. Brazil and South Africa
today are the leading nations trading in diamonds, thereby pushing India in a
tight corner.
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