The necklace which is a masterpiece of pearl jewelry
created by the artisans of Hyderabad in the 19th century is part of the
fabulous collection of jewelry consisting of 173 pieces that once
belonged to the Nizams of Hyderabad but later acquired by the Government
of India, and is today kept in the vaults of the Reserve Bank of India
in Mumbai. Thus the
necklace gets its name from its internationally renowned, fabulously
rich owners, the Nizams of Hyderabad, who ruled the kingdom situated in
South-Central India for over 200 years until its forceful annexation to
the Indian Union in 1948. The name "Satlada Haar" refers to a
seven-strand necklace in the local language, a five-strand necklace
being known as "Panchlada Haar." Some of the other technical terms
used by the Hyderabadi pearl jewelers include, "Nizam's jugnil" - two or
more strands of pearls linked with a single central ruby-studded gold
pendant; "Jadawi Lachcha" - choker with polki and other precious stones
laced with a string of pearls; "Kundan Ranihar" - pearl sets with enamel
kundan work; "Nagaram" - an elaborate pendant made of kundan work; "Gulubund
chokers" - pearl chokers of five strings interspersed with three gold
pendants set with rubies and emeralds, and usually worn with "Cholaphool
earrings"; "Karanphool and Cholaphool earrings" - set with uncut
diamonds and pearls; "Hath phool - finger and wrist ornaments; "Vaddenam"
- waist belt; "Chatai" - a mat type chain, earrings and rings; "Chand
bali" - a moon-shaped earring; "Rassi" - a chain set in the form
of a rope.
Characteristics of
the necklace
The necklace similar in design to the seven-strand
tri-colored Ceylon Pearl Necklace and the 10-strand Umm Kulthum seed
pearl necklace , is made up of seven strands of graded Basra pearls. The
common features of these necklaces are 1) They are without a clasp, and
the strands are attached at either end to two terminals that are
triangular-shaped, bell-cap shaped, or bar-shaped, and usually made of
gold. Provision has been made for the attachment of the terminals to
tough silk threads, that are used to secure the necklace around the neck
of the wearer. This type of arrangement makes sure that all pearls in
the necklace are displayed in the front, on the chest, without any being
hidden behind the neck. 2) The length of the strands in the necklace
decrease gradually from the outer strand to the inner strand, so that
all strands appear to be closer to one another, with a minimum gap
between two strands. In the case of the Umm Khulthum 10-strand pearl
necklace and the Ceylon Pearl Necklace, there are also cross bands to keep the strands separate from
one another.
Nizam of Hyderabad Satlada Pearl Necklace
The terminals in the Satlada Pearl Neckace are
triangular shaped, made of brilliant enameled gold, each set with a
triangular-shaped flat diamond, also surrounded by tiny pearls. In each
strand, the larger pearls are situated at the center, and the smaller
pearls towards the ends of the necklace. The total number of Basra
pearls in the necklace is said to be 465. The size of the pearls in the
necklace are not known, but appear to be partly medium-sized and
partly seed pearls from photographs of the necklace. The nearly 2
million Basra pearls on the Pearl Carpet of Baroda, commissioned by
Maharajah Khande Rao Gaekwar in 1865, are mostly made up of seed pearls.
The color of the Basra pearls in the necklace appear
to be light pink in the photograph of the "Satlada Necklace" appearing
on the webpage titled Nizam's Jewelry, a press release by the National
Museum of India, New Delhi. However, the U-tube video of the
Nizam's jewelry uploaded recently, shows the pearls in the "Satlada
Necklace" are actually white in color. This is more in conformity with
the natural color of Basra pearls, which is mostly white, though other
colors such as light-pink, cream, yellow and golden also do sometimes occur. These
are some of the colors found in the pearls produced by the pearl oyster Pinctada radiata, the species of oyster that produces the Basra pearls,
more commonly known as Persian Gulf pearls. Though the total
number of pearls in the necklace is known, the average size of the
pearls, and the total weight of the pearls in the necklace are not
known.
History of the "Satlada
Pearl Necklace"
The source of the
pearls
The description of the pearls in the
necklace, by the National Museum of India website, as "graded Basra
pearls" leaves no doubt as to their origin. The name "Basra pearls" may
mean that pearls possibly originated in the waters of the Persian Gulf
in the northwestern region of the Gulf, off the coastline of Basra in
Iraq. But the most prolific pearl banks in the Persian Gulf were found
on the Arabian side of the Gulf, particularly off the coast of Bahrain,
Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Oman, and off the coast of Lavan-Kish island group on
the Persian side of the Gulf. Basra was a regional center for the
marketing of Persian Gulf pearls; hence all pearls produced in the
Persian Gulf irrespective of their country of origin came to be known as
Basra pearls. It was from Basra, that the Persian Gulf pearls eventually
reached markets in India, such as Bombay and Hyderabad, and the pearl
markets of Europe, such as London and Paris. Thus in the pearl markets
of these cities, the Persian Gulf pearls, were normally referred to as
Basra pearls, though in fact the pearls might have originated elsewhere
in the Gulf region, such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Oman etc. The
main species of oyster around which the pearl industry of the Persian
Gulf had been based since ancient times was Pinctada radiata (Gulf pearl
oyster), and to a lesser extent around the species Pinctada
margaritifera (Black-lip pearl oyster).
Pinctada radiata, the
species of oyster around which the Gulf pearl industry was based
Pinctada radiata is a marine bivalve
mollusk, coming under the family Pteridae, that can grow to a maximum
size of 7 to 8 cm, and has a maximum lifespan of about 8 years. The
shell which is pale yellow in color has 7 to 8 brownish radial bands,
and has a lip which is slightly pinkish in color. The nacre is
silvery-white in color, producing pearls that are usually silvery-white,
but are sometimes cream, light-pink, yellow and golden. Pearls
produced by Pinctada radiata are mainly seed pearls, which can occur in
aggregates or singly. Seed pearls by definition are pearls less
than 2 mm in diameter or less than 0.25 grains in weight. However,
Pinctada radiata also produces substantial quantities of pearls that are
greater than this size and weight, and can be categorized as small or
medium-sized pearls, as well as the extremely rare large sized pearls.
The jewelry
collection of the Nizams of Hyderabad
Mir Usman Ali
Khan's fabulous collection of jewels were mostly inherited from his
predecessors.
The seventh and the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir
Usman Ali Khan had one of the largest and most fabulous collections of
jewels and jewelry, ever put together by a royal family in India, after
the end of the classic period of the Mughal empire following the death
of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707. These jewels that included the state
regalia and personal heritage of the former Nizams of Hyderabad, were
inherited by him from six of his great predecessors, who ruled
Hyderabad, since the formation of the Asaf Jah dynasty in 1724. Mir
Usman Ali Khan himself may have commissioned some of the pieces during
his period of rule between 1911 to 1948. However, most of the pieces in
the collection were actually inherited from his predecessors.
The types of
jewelry in the collection and the type of gemstones used in their
settings
The jewelry that consisted of 173 pieces, were
crafted in gold and silver, and some pieces were also embellished with
enameling. Gemstones used on the jewelry settings included emeralds from
Colombia, diamonds from the Golconda mines and also perhaps from Brazil
and South Africa, rubies and spinels from Burma and Afghanistan, and
pearls from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mannar. It has been
estimated that the entire collection of jewels include over 25,000
diamonds weighing over 12,000 carats, 2,000 emeralds weighing over
10,000 carats, and pearls weighing more than 40,000 chows. ( A chow is
an Arabian unit of weight equivalent to .....). The type of
jewelry that constitute the collection can be categorized as follows :-
1) Armbands 2) Anklets (Paizeb) 3) Bangles and bracelets
4) Belts and buckles 5) Cuff-links and buttons 6) Earrings
7) Finger rings 8) Gemstones (loose) 9) Necklaces and
pendants 10) Nose rings 11) Pocket watches and watch
chains 12) Sarpechs (turban ornaments) 13) Toe rings.
Some of the
outstanding pieces in the jewelry collection
The most
outstanding piece among the collection, is the 184.75-carat,
cushion-cut, colorless diamond, of South African origin, the 8th largest
colorless diamond in the world, known as the Imperial diamond or the
Victoria-Jacob diamond, which by today's estimates is said to cost
around $ 70 million, which is almost equivalent to the total price paid
for the entire collection by the Government of India in 1995.
Please click here to go to our special webpage on the Victoria-Jacob
diamond under the section dedicated to famous diamonds. Among
the other loose gemstones are 22 emeralds of exceptional quality from
Colombia weighing a total of 414.25 carats, the largest emerald having a
weight of 60 carats. This is apart from an exceptionally large variety
of other cut emeralds, emerald drops and emerald beads, also from
the same source. Some of the outstanding pieces of jewelry include, the
seven-stranded "Satlada Pearl Necklace" made of 465 Basra pearls, the
subject of this webpage; an armband with fine Deccan workmanship, made
of enameled silver with openwork foliate design, consisting of three
hinged segments and set with foiled table-cut diamonds; a belt
buckle, also made in three segments hinged together, showing exquisite
Deccan craftsmanship with 146 diamonds weighing over 55 carats, foil set
in Kundan setting, the central 5 diamonds weighing approximately 30
carats; a pair of anklets of Mughal design set with old-cut
Golconda diamonds, with a crest of pearls along the upper edge and pear-shaped drops, set with foiled diamonds forming a fringe along the lower
edge.
Another notable piece of jewelry is a ring, set with
an unusually large Alexandrite from Russia, believed to be a gift by
Emperor Aurangzeb, to his able commander-in-chief in the Deccan, Mir
Qamar-ud-din, who was given the titles Fateh Jung and Asaf Jah, and
subsequently became the first Nizam of Hyderabad in 1724, after
declaring his region independent of the Mughal empire. A 640-carat
diamond encrusted belt made in France by Oscar Massi Pieres is another
important piece in the collection. The turban ornaments or sarpechs in
the collection, a piece of jewelry designed to be worn on the turban as
a replacement for the traditional crown, that was banned by royal
injunction during the reign of Queen Victoria, are also striking pieces
in the collection. A sarpech consists of a central band made up of five
hinged segments, known as a "sarpatti" and a vertical piece curved
towards one side, arising from the central segment known as "kalgha."
The center of each segment in one of the sarpechs is occupied by a
pearl, surrounded by diamonds. The curved "kalgha" is also set with
diamonds. Drop-shaped emerald pendants arise from below the "sarpatti"
and a single drop-shaped emerald pendant from the end of the curved "kalgha."
How the Nizam's
jewelry collection came to be acquired by the Government of India ?
The jewels of the
Nizams are placed in two trusts created by Mir Usman Ali Khan, the 7th
Nizam of Hyderabad
After the annexation of Hyderabad to the Indian Union
in 1948, and the forceful abdication of Mir Usman Ali Khan, the 7th and
the last Nizam of Hyderabad, all items in the Nizam's enormous
collection housed in the royal treasury were inventoried. Mir Usman Ali
Khan then divided the jewels into two lots, and placed them in two
trusts, one known as the "H. E. H. Nizam Jewelry Trust" and the other as
"H. E. H. Nizam Supplemental Jewelry Trust," with the stipulation that
the jewels should not be sold during the lifetime of his eldest son Azam
Jah. He further insisted that the jewels of the two trusts be placed in
the safe vaults of the Flora Fountain Branch of the Hong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation in Mumbai. The Government of India did not interfere
with this arrangement, because as a matter of policy it had allowed all
former Maharajahs of Princely States to dispose of their jewelry
collections as they pleased, whether personal or those belonging to the
crown.
The Government of
India obtains stay order from the Supreme Court suspending the auction
of the Nizams' jewels in the early 1970s
Mir Usman Ali Khan died in 1967 followed by his
eldest son Azam Jah in 1970. The trustees then decided to sell part of
the jewels by an internationally publicized auction in order to meet the
staggering tax liabilities of the family. Buyers from all over the world
flocked to Bombay, where the auction was to be held, but just before the
auction could take place, Dr Laxmi Prasad Sihare, the Head of the
National Gallery of Arts of India arrived with a stay order from the
Supreme Court suspending the auctions, on the grounds that the jewels
were part of the National Heritage of India and hence should be
preserved in the country. The jewels were then returned to the vaults of
the HSBC. However, the Government of India's position could not be
justified, as it had allowed all other Maharajahs to dispose of their
jewels without any government intervention. Some of the renowned pieces
of inestimable value that were forever lost by the country included the
famous "Patiala diamond necklace" designed by Cartier that incorporated
the 234.65-carat De Beers diamond as its centerpiece, and the "Pearl
Carpet of Baroda" commissioned by Gaekwar Khande Rao in 1865, the most
extravagant carpet ever made incorporating over 2 million Basra pearls.
Protracted legal
battle over the jewels, that results in the Government of India
purchasing the collection for $71 million
The trustees then filed action in the Supreme Court
in 1979 seeking permission for the disposal of the jewels, in order to
meet the pressing financial commitments of the family, that led to a
long drawn out legal battle that lasted 16 years. Eventually, the
Government of India decided in 1993 to purchase the entire collection
from the descendants of the late Nizam, after independent evaluation by
renowned auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christies, who placed a
value of $162 million and $135 million respectively on the collection.
Further negotiations were held to decide on a price mutually acceptable
to both parties, and finally the GOI decided to purchase the entire
collection for a sum of Rs. 218 crores, equivalent to about $71 million.
Yet, the transaction could not be concluded as the GOI said that payment
could be effected only in six installments, which was rejected by the
trustees. The matter went up to the Supreme Court again, which decided
in favor of the trustees, and the Government was ordered to pay up in
full, failing which the trustees were granted permission to invite
foreign buyers to sell the collection. The GOI requested more time to
effect full payment, which was granted, and the Supreme Court set
January 16, 1995 as the last date to conclude the deal, after which the
deal lapsed and the trustees would be free to sell the collection as
they pleased. The government then got the approval of both Houses of
Parliament, the Lokh Sabah and the Rajya Sabah, and the deal was finally
concluded on January 12, 1995. After the conclusion of the deal the
entire collection was moved from the vaults of the Flora Fountain Branch
of the HSBC to the Reserve Bank of India, where the collection is still
housed until the GOI decides on a permanent venue to exhibit the
renowned jewels.
The jewels of the
Nizams of Hyderabad go on display in Delhi and Hyderabad in 2001 and
2007
The fabulous collection of jewels of the Nizams of
Hyderabad, went on public display for the first time in August 2001, six
years after it was acquired by the Government of India. The exhibition
was held under tight security conditions at the National Museum in Delhi
for six weeks. The exhibition that generated much public enthusiasm in
Delhi was a tremendous success, and was later moved to the Salar Jung
Museum, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, the State of origin of the renowned
collection, in order to give the people of the state an opportunity to
view and acquaint themselves with a part of their proud heritage, for
which their ancestors had contributed in no small measure. After the
Salar Jung exhibition, the jewel collection was again moved back to the
vaults of the Reserve Bank of India in Bombay. Six years afterwards in
September 2007, the collection again went on display for about two
months, in a special vault at the National Museum in Delhi, where
provision was made for stringent electronic surveillance. The exhibition
that was manned by over 100 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
personnel besides the museum's own security guards, was opened on
Wednesday, September 26, 2007, by Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian
Council for Cultural Relations. As part of the stringent security
measures enforced, visitors were not allowed to carry mobile phones and
cameras, and were admitted to the exhibition hall in batches of 50, for
a period of only 30 minutes. The jewels were displayed in 29 show cases
in the exhibition hall where special lighting arrangements had been put
in place. After the Delhi exhibition the jewels were again moved to the
Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, for a second exposition, and then
returned to the vaults of the RBI in Bombay. The present market value of
the jewel collection is estimated to be over US $6 billion.
Hyderabad - the
capital city of the Golconda kingdom under the Qutb Shahi rulers, and
the Hyderabad kingdom under the Asaf Jah Nizam rulers
Golconda
city, the first capital of the Golconda kingdom under the Qutb Shahi
rulers
The kingdom of Golconda, in the southeastern part of
the Deccan region of India, was one of the five successor states of the
former Bahmani kingdom (1347-1518), and was founded by Quli Qutb Shah, a
Turkish governor of the Bahmani eastern region, who declared
independence in 1518 and set up his capital in Golconda. The Qutb Shahi
rulers converted Golconda into a fortified city, with a fortress 5 km in
circumference, built of concentric masonry-block walls. Palaces,
mosques, towers, minarets, and administrative buildings were built
inside the fortress, and parks and gardens were also created. The
fortress had 87 semi-circular bastions, eight gateways and four
drawbridges.
A new capital city
named Hyderabad was built in 1590 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shahi
The fortress city of Golconda remained the capital of
the Golconda kingdom until 1590, when it was realized, that the area
covered by the fortress was hardly adequate to accommodate a fast
growing capital. Besides there was a serious water shortage within the
fortress, as sources of water was scarce. The 5th Qutb Shahi king,
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shahi who studied the problems encountered in
Golconda city, finally decided to build a new capital city, 11 km east
of Golconda, on the east bank of the Musi River, which he named
Hyderabad. The king's architects and city planners first built an
imposing structure that dominated the skyline of the city, known as the
Charminar, incorporating Indo-Saracenic architecture, with open arches
and four minarets. This architectural marvel, considered as the greatest
architectural achievement of the Qutb Shahi period, became the
centerpiece around which the new city of Hyderabad was planned. Another
architectural masterpiece of the period is the famous "Mecca Mosque"
that can accommodate 10,000 worshippers. The Qutb Shahi rulers converted
Hyderabad into one of the most beautiful and affluent cities in the
sub-continent during this period. Another engineering marvel of this
period is the "Purana Pul" bridge, spanning the Musi River, with its 22
arches. The entire structure which is over 400 years old, had stood the
test of time, withstanding many devastating floods over the centuries,
and was compared by Tavernier to the Pont Neuf in Paris. From the bridge
a broad roadway was built running into the heart of the city, and
terminating at the Charminar. Muhammad Quli's court chronicler writes, "when
the lay out of the new city was complete, the sultan ordered 14,000
shops, schools, caravanserais, mosques and baths to be built on both
sides of the road." Today, this street is known as the Lad Bazaar.
Jean de Thevenot, another French traveler, who
visited Hyderabad in 1666 during the Qutb Shahi period, wrote that he
found "many rich merchants, bankers, jewelers and vast numbers of very
skilful artisans in the city," and goes on to describe a fine piece of
jewelry worn on the Sultan's turban, "a jewel almost a foot long,
said to be of inestimable value. It is a rose of great diamonds which
has as its end a lovely long pearl shaped like a pear, and makes an
exceeding rare show."
Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad India
Another tribute to the beauty of Hyderabad was made
by none other than its conqueror the mighty Mughal emperor Aurangzeb,
whose chronicler Muhammad Saqi described the city after its capture in
1687, "It gives solace to the human heart and body..... the flowers
of this land may be compared with the glitter and color of its emeralds
and rubies."
Golconda
kingdom becomes part of the Mughal empire in 1687, and in 1724 becomes
an independent kingdom under the Asaf Jah dynasty
The Golconda kingdom was ruled by the Qutb Shahi
rulers until 1687, when the kingdom was captured by Emperor Aurangzeb,
who annexed it to the Mughal empire. The region remained under Mughal
rule until 1724, when the viceroy of the Mughals for the Deccan region,
Mir Qamar-ud-Din, taking advantage of the decline in Mughal power after
the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, declared independence and founded the
kingdom of Hyderabad. Mir Qamar-ud-Din became the first Nizam of
Hyderabad, and was known as the Nizam-ul-Mulk. The kingdom of Hyderabad
became a British Protectorate in 1798, under the second Nizam of
Hyderabad, Nizam Ali Khan, and maintained its status quo, until the
British granted independence to India in 1947. During the 19th century,
the Nizams of Hyderabad embarked on a program of rebuilding the city,
expanding to the north of the old city across the Musi river. Further
north, Secunderabad grew rapidly as a British cantonment. Secunderabad
was connected to Hyderabad by a mile-long bund on the Husain Sagar Lake.
Today, the bund serves as a promenade and has become the pride of the
city. The Nizam rulers also constructed many new structures, whose
architecture reflected a synthesis of Hindu and Islamic styles.
Almost all the public buildings currently used by the State Government
of Andhra Pradesh, was built by the former Nizams of Hyderabad. Some of
these buildings are the Osmania University, Osmania Arts College,
Osmania Medical College, the Osmania General Hospital, the Asafiya
Library now known as the Central State Library, the Andhra Pradesh High
Court, Hyderabad Museum, the Town Hall, the Jubilee Hall, and other
buildings in the Public Garden. In 1947, the kingdom of Hyderabad
refused to join either India or Pakistan during the partition, and chose
to remain as a independent state in its own right. However, in 1948 the
Indian army moved in and captured the kingdom forcing the last Nizam of
Hyderabad to abdicate.
Exploitation of the
Golconda diamond mines during the Qutb Shahi period, Mughal period and
the Asaf Jah period
The Qutb Shahi
rulers obtained the maximum benefit out of the Golconda diamond mines
from around 1540 to 1687
The Golconda kingdom became internationally renowned
not only as a source of gold, but also as the only source of diamonds in
the world during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Kollur diamond mines
situated about 40 km southeast of Golconda fortress, on the right bank
of the Kistna River, west of Chintapilly, were discovered in the
mid-16th century (1540 to 1560) and became one of the most prolific
diamond mines in the eastern Deccan plateau. The mine was in active
production for about 200 years, until the end of the 18th century. When
Tavernier visited Golconda in 1642, more than 20 mines were being
exploited, employing over 60,000 people. Peak production period in the
Golconda mines was during the 17th century. Production began declining
during the 18th century, and was almost exhausted by the end of that
century. The peak production period of the Golconda mines fall within
the period of rule of the Qutb Shahi kings, who ruled Golconda for 169
years from 1518 to 1687. Thus the Qutb Shahi rulers obtained the maximum
benefit out of the Golconda mines. Part of the diamonds produced in the
mines entered the courts of the Qutb Shahi kings. Significant quantities
of diamonds might also have ended up in the courts of the Mughal
emperors, after they were purchased by their agents in Hyderabad.
Diamonds from the Golconda mines might also have ended up in the courts
of the Shahs of Persia, with whom the Qutb Shahis had close diplomatic
and religious ties. Finally enterprising European travelers and diamond
dealers like Tavernier also purchased significant quantities of
diamonds, which ended up in the courts of the European monarchies.
The Golconda mines
directly benefited the Mughal rulers for 37 years from 1687 to 1724
The period of Mughal rule in Golconda lasted for 37
years, from 1687, when the kingdom was captured by Emperor Aurangzeb and
annexed to the Mughal empire, until 1724 when the region was declared an
independent kingdom by Asaf Jah, Mir Qamar-ud-Din, who became the
Nizam-ul-Mulk, the first Nizam of Hyderabad. During this period too
there was substantial production of diamonds from the Golconda mines,
which directly benefited the Mughal empire.
The Nizams of
Hyderabad benefited the least from the Golconda diamond mines due to
decline in production
The period of rule of the Nizams of Hyderabad of the
Asaf Jah dynasty from 1724 onwards, corresponds with a decline in
production of the Golconda mines, which eventually comes to a standstill
by the end of the 18th century. Thus, the Nizams of Hyderabad benefited
the least from the Golconda diamond mines, yet the diamonds produced
during a period of about 75 years from 1724 to 1800, had entered the
courts of the Nizams of Hyderabad, and were used in the designing of
some of the fabulous pieces of diamond jewelry found in the collection
of the Nizam's jewels. It might also be possible that just as emeralds
from Colombia, rubies from Burma and pearls from Basra and Ceylon
reached the Nizams court, diamonds from Brazil and South Africa would
have also reached the court, after their discoveries in the early 18th
and late 19th centuries respectively. The Victoria-Jacob diamond of
South African origin entered the Nizam's court during the rule of Mir
Mahboob Ali Khan, the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad, between 1869 and 1911.
Hyderabad - the Pearl
City of India
Pearls, though not
a product of Hyderabad left a lasting impression on trade and commerce
in Hyderabad
The Qutb Shahi rulers of the Golconda kingdom and the
Asaf Jah rulers of the Hyderabad kingdom were great patrons of the arts,
literature, architecture, culture, jewelry designing and rich food. The
169-year rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty followed by the 224-year rule of
the Asaf Jah dynasty laid a solid foundation for the jewelry industry of
Hyderabad which thrives up to this day. The imperial patronage extended
to the jewelry industry led to the creation of a workforce skilled in
jewelry designing and crafting based partly on Mughal craftsmanship and
partly on Southern Deccan craftsmanship acquired from the "Vijayanagar"
kingdom. The gemstones used in the jewelry settings of this period were
mainly diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies, as seen from the Nizams'
jewelry collection. Hyderabad was the main supplier of diamonds to the
entire world for about two and a half centuries from around 1550 to
around 1800, originating from the famous Golconda mines. Diamonds from Golconda
were renowned for their highest quality, transparency, whiteness and
purity, referred to in the international diamond trade as "diamonds of
purest water." Some of the other descriptive terms applied for Golconda
diamonds were "purest of the pure," "whiter than white," and
"brighter than bright." However, in spite of Hyderabad's international
fame as the main source of diamonds for over two and a half centuries,
it was pearls from the Gulf of Mannar and the Persian Gulf that have
over time left the boldest mark on Hyderabadi culture and trade, that
today, Hyderabad has become the largest center for pearl trading not only
in India but also the entire world, selling about 40-50 thousand
kilograms of pearls each year. If in Hyderabad there once was a jewelry
industry based on the cutting and polishing of rough diamonds and their
subsequent setting on pieces of jewelry, such traditions appeared to
have disappeared with the exhaustion of its rich diamond sources.
How Hyderabad
became the world's largest trading center for pearls despite the fact
the city was landlocked with the ocean more than 300 km away ?
What amazes everybody is how Hyderabad achieved the
status of the top pearl trading center in the world, a landlocked city,
with the ocean more than 300 km away. The answer lies in the city's
history. Two centuries of a vibrant pearl culture with imperial
patronage of the Nizams of Hyderabad had given rise to artisans skilled
in their trade. The patronage of the Nizams attracted many craftsmen
from distant parts of the world, especially the Persian Gulf, the most
ancient source of natural pearls in the world. Arab traders of the
Persian Gulf not only preferred to sell their pearls to the Nizams of
Hyderabad because of the attractive prices paid by them, but also
encouraged Arab artisans who were skilled in sorting, grading and
piercing pearls to settle down in Hyderabad and work for the Nizams.
This resulted in the technological transfer needed to sustain a pearl
jewelry industry in Hyderabad. Some of the skills of the pearl industry
such as drilling, was a jealously guarded family secret, passed down
from generation to generation. Drilling is a highly skilled job, still
done by hand, and carried out to perfection in Hyderabad. Thus, the
availability of skilled manpower was one of the main factors that was
responsible for sustaining a jewelry industry based on pearls in
Hyderabad for generations, and making Hyderabad the top pearl trading
center in the world today. It is said that nine out of every ten pearls
in the world pass through Hyderabad in India, at a certain stage for
finishing, piercing and stringing. Unmatched craftsmanship and amazingly
low labor cost are two factors that attracted pearls to the Hyderabad
pearl market. The artisans of Hyderabad are skilled in piercing and
stringing pearls without damaging them.
The sources of
pearls that reached the Hyderabad pearl market in the past
The main sources of pearls that reached the Hyderabad
pearl market in the past was the Gulf of Mannar in Sri Lanka (Ceylon),
and the Persian Gulf, the source of Basra pearls. Pearls from Ceylon
reached Hyderabad via the city of Madurai in South India, and those from
the Persian Gulf, through the Portuguese controlled port of Goa on the
west coast of India. Pearls from Ceylon were regarded as the
finest quality, as they were mostly uniformly white. Ibn Batuta who
visited Sri Lanka in 1344, writes in his travelogue about a meeting with
the king of Ceylon, "One day I went to him while there lay about a
large number of pearls. His men were busy sorting and classifying the
best. "Have you seen any pearl fishing in the countries you come from ?"
he asked. "Yes, on the islands of Gays and Kish (in the Persian Gulf),"
I said. Then he picked up a few and asked, "Are their pearls like these
?" "They are inferior" I replied. He was delighted and said, "These
pearls are yours. Don't be shy, you can demand of me as many as you
desire."
Cultured pearls
from China and Japan have replaced the natural pearls from Ceylon and
the Persian Gulf
Today, the famous Ceylon pearls are unheard of in
Hyderabad, but the slightly yellowish pearls from the Persian Gulf,
known as Basra pearls are readily available, mainly as newly restrung
necklaces and in precious old settings. After the death of the natural
pearl industry in the Persian Gulf in the 1930s following the flooding
of the international pearl markets with Japanese cultured pearls, the
Hyderabad pearl industry too adapted itself to newly available cultured
products. Today, dealers in Hyderabad import raw pearls from China and
Japan, and Hyderabad has become the nerve center of India's pearl trade.
Traditional pearl
jewelry designs survive side by side with modern western designs
In the Hyderabad's pearl jewelry industry it is interesting to find that
the traditional designs survive side by side with modern western
designs. Pearl jewelry designers in the past had combined pearls with
the glitter of gold, rubies and emeralds. Among the traditional pearl
jewelry designs still produced are the "Satlada and Panchlada Haar" the
seven and five-stringed pearl necklaces, interspersed with emerald or
onyx beads set in nine-carat gold. Earrings such as the "Karanphool" and
"Cholaphool" set with uncut diamonds and pearls, are popular
jewelry items among the ladies of the city. Another popular traditional
pearl jewelry item that is normally worn with the "Cholaphool" earrings,
is the "Gulubund" choker made up of five strings of pearls, interspersed
with three gold pendants set with rubies and emeralds. Another item that
is popularly worn with the "Panchlada Haar" the five-stringed pearl
necklace, is the "Nagaram," an elaborate pendant made of Kundan work.
Cultured pearls are studded in gold and silver jewelry whose exquisite
designs show modern western influences. The city is also famous for the
soft, rounded, luminescent, tear-drop pearl, apart from the precious
Basra pearl available in select stores.
The name Hyderabad
is synonymous with pearls of high quality
Today, the city of Hyderabad has become almost
inseparable with the mention of pearls. The name Hyderabad is synonymous
with pearls of high quality. The city is undoubtedly the largest trading
center for pearls in India, and perhaps also one of the largest in the
world. The center of the pearl trade in Hyderabad are Patther Gatti and
Lad Bazaar. Patther Gatti is an entire street lined with shops
specializing mainly on the sale of pearls and pearl jewelry, apart
from some semi-precious jewelry set with garnets, topaz, jade and
corals. Some of the pearl stores situated on this street are more than a
century old with ownership running into the third or fourth generation.
The processing of
raw pearls in Chandampet near Hyderabad. The drilling of pearls by "barnalgaru"
Raw pearls that are imported in bulk into Hyderabad
are mainly Chinese freshwater pearls. These raw pearls are processed
mainly in a village by the name of Chandampet near Hyderabad, where
around 500 families with special skills in the drilling and processing
of pearls, a knowledge that has been passed down faithfully for
generations live. The first step in the processing is the drilling of a
hole in the pearl, by the drillmaster known as "barnalgaru." The art of
drilling pearls is an exacting job second only to diamond cutting. Just
a small slip of the drill can disqualify even the most lustrous specimen
from ever adorning a neck or ear. Drilling is done manually usually with
a hand-powered bow drill. The driller examines each pearl carefully to
select the best possible pathway for drilling a hole whose diameter
measures just a fraction of a millimeter. The drilling is done while the
pearl is fixed to a wooden vise on the workbench. As the drilling
proceeds steadily, the driller dips his little finger into a water dish
and flicks a drop onto the pearl, which wets the pearl dust that mounds
around the hole, that prevents binding up the bit before it exists
cleanly from the bottom of the pearl. The workroom of a drillmaster
smells like a dentist's surgery, with the same high-pitched sound of a
drill and the same acrid odor of burnt calcium, the chemical composition
of nacre and enamel being almost identical.
Sorting of pearls
according to color, size and shape and stringing by "patwas"
After drilling the pearls are sorted according to
color, such as pink, peach, white and gray and then according to shades
of the same color, such as light pink from dark pink, milk white from
cream white etc. Pearls with a muddy color are processed by boiling in
water for four to five days before being put into airtight glass bottles
and treated with hydrogen peroxide, ether, water and alcohol. The
bottles are then placed in the sun for four to five days that removes
impurities. After bleaching the pearls acquire a whitish or creamish
sheen. The pearls are then sorted according to size and shapes. Shapes
can be symmetrical, such as round, near-round, button with one flat
side, oval and drop-shaped or asymmetrical such as flower, potato, rice,
seed and baroque. The pearls are finally strung by skilled stringers
known as "Patwas" who use soft silken strings or gold wire, so as not to
damage the delicate pearls.
In Hyderabad the
primary jewelry market is for pearl jewelry
In Hyderabad buying and selling pearl jewelry is part
of the 400-year old tradition of the city. The use of pearl jewelry is
becoming increasingly popular among the women folk of the city, as well
as Andhra Pradesh State and the country as a whole. Pearls are now
becoming an important part of the brides trousseau in India. Jewelers
combine pearls with semi-precious stones, diamonds and kundan in
designing exquisite pieces of jewelry, and without any doubt the primary
jewelry market in Hyderabad is very clearly for pearls. The popularity
of pearl jewelry in India in general and Hyderabad in particular is a
continuation of the deep-seated traditions set by the former Nizams of
Hyderabad, a tradition that turned out exquisite pieces of jewelry found
in the Nizams' fabulous collection of jewels, including the famous "Satlada
Pearl Necklace" the subject of this webpage.
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