Sikh heritage goes under the hammer: Maharani Jindan’s earrings fetch Rs 1.6 crore in London auction

Oliver White, Bonhams head of Islamic and Indian art, said: “These gold earrings are a powerful reminder of a courageous woman who endured the loss of her kingdom, and persecution and privation, with great dignity and fortitude”.

A pair of gold pendant earrings from the collection of Maharani Jind Kaur, the mother of the last Sikh ruler of Punjab, sold at Bonhams Islamic and Indian sale here on Tuesday for a record price £175,000 (approximately Rs 1.6 crore) .

The earrings were part of a collection plundered by the British army when she was deposed in 1846. The items then confiscated and brought to London included the Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby. (Photo courtesy: Bonhams and Wikipedia)

The earrings had been estimated to sell at a price between £20,000 and £30,000.

Oliver White, Bonhams head of Islamic and Indian art, said: “These gold earrings are a powerful reminder of a courageous woman who endured the loss of her kingdom, and persecution and privation, with great dignity and fortitude”.

“The impressive price paid for these beautiful pieces of jewellery conveys their significance.”

The earrings were part of a collection plundered by the British army when she was deposed in 1846. The items then confiscated and brought to London included the Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby.