Daria-i-Noor is among the rarest diamonds in history. Admired for its beautiful pale pink shade, its name translates for ‘sea of light’ in Persian. It has been passed form one dynasty to another over the centuries, creating intrigue among gemstone enthusiasts.
The rare 182-carat rectangular diamond is believed to have originated rom the iconic Golconda mines in Telangana was once part of the Mughal treasure. Persian leader Nadir Shah seized it during invasion in India in 1793, along with Kohinoor.
Some historians suspect that it was a part a larger pink-diamond set and was embedded in the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s throne. A 1965 study implies that the Daria-i-Noor and the Noor-ul-Ain, which are now in the Iran’s Crown Jewels might have come from the same stone.
A Journey Through Empires
After its Mughal legacy, the diamond reportedly moved through the hands of Maratha rulers, Nawabs of Hyderabad, and finally Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, who also owned the Kohinoor. Following Ranjit Singh’s death, both gems came under British control and were sent to Queen Victoria. His son, Maharaja Dalip Singh, was forced to hand over the Daria-i-Noor to the British.
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Despite its immense value, the diamond failed to impress. Lady Dufferin, wife of Viceroy Lord Dufferin, wrote in her memoir Our Viceregal Life in India: “Being a flat diamond, Daria-i-Noor did not seem very attractive to us.”
From Auction to Bangladesh
In 1852, Khwaja Alimullah, the first Nawab of Dhaka, purchased the stone at auction. His descendant, Nawab Salimullah, later mortgaged it to the British administration during financial struggles. The diamond was transferred to the Imperial Bank of India, then to the State Bank of Pakistan, and finally to Bangladesh’s Sonali Bank after 1971.
Since then, the gem has been shrouded in mystery. The vault holding it was last opened in 1985, with rumours in 2017 claiming it had gone missing-though bank officials denied ever seeing it.
Another Diamond With the Same Name?
Confusion deepens as another stone called the Daria-i-Noor remains in Tehran as part of Iran’s Crown Jewels. Whether Bangladesh’s diamond is the same, a duplicate, or a different gem remains unresolved.
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Will the Vault Reveal the Truth?
According to an AFP report, the vault also contains 108 treasures, including a diamond-encrusted sword, jeweled photo frame, and a pearl-studded brooch.
Sonali Bank’s Managing Director Shaukat Ali Khan said: “The vault is sealed. Years ago, an inspection team came but did not open it. They just unlocked the outer door.”
Khawaja Naim Murad, a descendant of Dhaka’s Nawabs, expressed his hope of finally seeing the legendary jewel. An official date for reopening the vault has not yet been set, but anticipation remains high.
