|
Add to Interest Profile
Edit Interest Profile
Email This Message
Search
| Sarpech, a prized jewel From Jangveer Singh Tribune News Service PATIALA: The Patiala sarpech (literally meaning head fastner) was one of the most elaborate of its kinds and a prized jewel of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala who wore it on special occasions. Acording to a photograph of the late Maharaja in the Christie catalogue published on the occasion of sale of Indian jewellery by the house on October 6, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh is shown wearing the Patiala sarpech along with other precious jewels, pearls and military medals. Other photographs of the Maharaja are also to be seen wearing sarpeches, including one which has been displayed on the cover of K. Natwar Singh s book, The Magnificent Maharaja , but none so splendid as the Patiala sarpech. The photographs also show separate details of the front and back of the sarpech. While the front glistens with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, the back shows the intricacy of craftsmanship with foliate motifs of red, green and blue enamel. The provenance of the sarpech has become a matter of contention. The catalogue says it was formerly the property of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. Simultaneously, an official of the jewellery department of the auction house in a letter to Mr Raninder Singh, great grand son the late maharaja, has said the sarpech belonged a European collection before 1947 and was consigned to the house in Geneva. Chairman of the Institute of Punjabi Art and Culture, and Congress General Secretary Bir Devinder Singh finds this assertion hard to believe. He says the late maharaja died in 1938 following which his son Yadavindra Singh ascended the throne. He remarks that Patiala state ceased to exist in 1948 and that Yadavindra Singh continued to function as Rajpramukh of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) till 1951. The Congress leader says following this logic, it was not possible for the sarpech to leave India before 1947. He says he had written a letter to Mr David Warren, head of the jewellery department of Christie, seeking detailed identity of the buyer and seller of the jewel as well as details of its ownership after 1938 when Maharaja Bhupinder Singh expired. Mr Birdevinder Singh states that it is intriguing that the sarpech had been auctioned in London after being consigned in Geneva as its rightful place was the medal gallery of the Archives Department at Patiala. He said he would urge the Centre to order a CBI inquiry into the episode as the sarpech was of historical and cultural importance for the people of Patiala and Punjab. Meanwhile, Pradesh Congress President chief Amarinder Singh, who is a descendent of the late maharaja, when contacted few days earlier on the subject, had said that his family was disturbed at the manner in which the jewel was sold by Christie without informing it. He said Christie auction house owner Lord Althrop had spoken to his son and conveyed apologies of the house for not informing them of the sale. He said he would also be writing to Christie on the issue as it was the third time in the past five years that artefacts belonging to the Patiala royal house had been sold without informing the family giving rise to misunderstandings. ************************************************************* |
