Just Like That: Colonial plunder is a historical wrong that demands correction

THe brits compound epoch witnessed an extended pillaging of India’s cultural and material heritage, with countless invaluable jewels and artifacts robbed and removed from where they rightfully belonged.Among the most famous is the Kohinoor diamond, ‘the mountain of light’, a 105.6-carat flawless diamond, which once graced the Peacock Throne. In 1849, after the Anglo-Sikh wars, it was handed over—a euphemism for colonial theft—by a young Duleep Singh of Patiala to Queen Victoria, and now is the main centre of attraction at the Tower of London, a dazzling reminder of colonialism and loss. Its value today is estimated to exceed ₹1 lakh crore (approximately over $12 billion).The Kohinoor was not the only priceless stone that came to Britain from India. In 1701, Thomas Pitt, while Governor of Madras, helped himself to a diamond weighing over 410 carats from the Golconda mines of the Mughal emperor. Christened the Pitt Diamond, it was valued even then at £125,000; Pitt later sold it to the Prince Regent of France, who made it a part of the French crown. Governor Robert Clive was notorious too for converting his enormous loot from India into diamonds for safe passage to England.The Ring of Tipu Sultan, emblazoned with the word ‘Ram’ in Devanagari, was taken by the British from the battle of Srirangapatna in 1799, and bought in an auction only much later by absconding businessman Vijay Mallya. Prominent too in this list of loot is Shah Jahan’s wine cup, made of exquisite white jade decorated with intricate designs. It was pocketed by the British after the revolt of 1857, and now is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Imperial Crown of India, ‘gifted’ by ‘grateful’ subjects to the British king at the Durbar of 1911, is studded with rubies and sapphires, and encrusted with diamonds, with a huge deep green emerald at its centre and a diamond orb on the top. It too is on display at the Tower of London.Apart from jewels and gems, two of the greatest losses for India were the Amravati Marbles and the Sultanganj Buddha. The Marbles were a set of 120 limestone sculptures and inscriptions that adorned a Buddhist stupa in Andhra Pradesh. This plunder is proudly displayed now at the British Museum. The Buddha is a colossal copper statue weighing half a ton, dating back to the Gupta period (4th to 5th century CE). It was unearthed during railway construction in Bihar in 1862. This pride of India is now a part of the Birmingham Museum.Rare manuscripts, historical texts, and artistic works were also removed, representing a significant loss of intellectual and cultural heritage. Thousands of ancient temples across India were destroyed, with sacred idols and architectural elements taken and displayed in museums or sold to private collectors. Apart from what is documented, there is so much more that was pillaged and robbed, of which there is no record.I believe we should not let the issue of colonial-era plunder fade into an irretrievable void. The discussion extends beyond mere ownership to encompass the moral and ethical responsibilities of museums and individuals holding such artifacts. Estimating exact monetary valuation is futile for what is essentially priceless. As such, there can be no such thing as compensation or reparations. The artefact itself must be returned, since its cultural and historical significance for the country of its origin is immeasurable and irreplaceable.The current global discourse increasingly favours the repatriation of culturally significant artifacts, acknowledging the historical injustices of colonial loot. The narrative of British colonial rule in India is inextricably linked with the systematic extraction of wealth, resources, and cultural treasures. This period, spanning nearly two centuries, saw the East India Company and later the British Crown exert dominion over vast territories, leading to the forced acquisition of invaluable assets. These acquisitions were not merely economic transactions but profound acts of cultural displacement, severing historical objects from their intrinsic cultural and spiritual significance. Nor was their economic value an insignificant part of the 347% increase in British per capita income from 1747 to 1947, when, in the same period, India’s grew by a mere 14%.Continued advocacy and diplomatic efforts are essential to address these historical wrongs and achieve the restitution of cultural heritage to its rightful place. The government of India must not falter in its efforts.(Pavan K Varma is an author, diplomat, and former member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). The views expressed are personal)