From precious statues to jewels, the coronation of King Charles is serving as a reminder of the many cultural artifacts taken from India before and after British rule. One of the highest profile items is the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which won’t be part of the coronation ceremony.

Kumbakonam

King Charles III is to be coronated as King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

King Charles III

India’s stolen treasures on display for Coronation

A sacred temple deep in India's southeastern state that's missing a part of its soul. The Sundar Gurumal temple has been operating for decades now without performing one of the most important Hindu rituals ever since the temple's god was stolen, ripped out of its honoured place. For the worshippers gathered, the pain of that loss is immeasurable. Without our god's statue, this temple has lost all its glory, the priest Aravamudan says. We feel helpless knowing a part of our family has been taken. It was snatched and carted off by smugglers in 1957. On display still today at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, complete with a recently added acknowledgement that it may have been stolen. I don't know why or how it went to Britain, says this man, but everyone knows it rightfully belongs to us. That ache at the indignity courses through the temple's faithful. It breaks my heart and we hear about it happening elsewhere too, this woman says. Thousands of temples have been plundered across India, their ancient and sacred idols stolen. And set behind glass to be gawked at in museums and in wealthy private homes across the world. Some of these were recovered from one of Kapoor's prominent dealers. It's the ultimate insult for Vijay Kumar, what he calls colonial loot. So these were stolen? Yeah, these were stolen. He's made it his mission to corral a gang of volunteers who painstakingly track down stolen artefacts in their free time and work to get them returned to their rightful owners. We are not doing this for any money. We don't take any funding. We don't take any donations, nor awards or rewards. Our only reward is to bring the gods back home. It's a monumental task, persuading museums abroad to do the right thing and urging law enforcement to do more. We were looking for this place. The slews are meticulous and they've had success, bringing home more than 600 lost treasures in the past decade. What's not part of their focus is the most infamous of India's lost jewels, the Koh-i-Noor diamond. The jewel set in the crown belonging to the Queen Mother. And now with Charles' king passed on to Camilla, Queen Consort. India chief among them. The clamour to bring the diamond home has gotten louder. Anita Anand, historian and journalist, co-wrote the definitive book on the diamond's controversial history. It has come to represent a very cold, hard reminder of colonialism. There is a new appetite to discuss these things, to revisit these things right now. And the shiniest thing that you've got in this conversation is the Koh-i-Noor that sat in the Tower of London that gleams with a reminder of, for Indians, the humiliation of the Raj. And the humiliating memory of how it landed in British hands. The last Maharaja of Punjab, 10 years old, coerced into handing it over. Unless a gift is given at the point of a bayonet, this can't be considered a gift. So why don't we call it what it is? It is one of the spoils of conquest. But any talk of returning the Koh-i-Noor is fraught with diplomatic minefields, including the messy question of which country has the most valid claim to it. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan. And the current rules, historians say, are major roadblocks. The British Museums Act do not permit removal of any object. And in 1970, the UNESCO Convention also laid down that anything that is looted can be returned, but only if it has been looted after 1970. The royal family is hyper-aware of the diamond's power. Camilla won't be wearing the Koh-i-Noor crown in next week's coronation, after Narendra Modi's government made clear that doing so would evoke painful memories of the colonial past. And mere weeks after Charles is crowned, the Tower of London will display the Koh-i-Noor and label it a symbol of conquest. A smart move, some say, but one that has its limits. The idea that just by moving it out of the spotlight was going to make people forget about it, I think is not right. For those at India's Pride Project, dedicated to restoring this country's lost heritage, the long-missing diamond still stings. I think it's very insulting to go up to the tower bridge and pay 10 pounds to see an object of loot. You should be ashamed. But it's these precious stolen deities that command their full attention. The Koh-i-Noor is just a stone to me. Gods are priceless. Priceless and so many thousands of them still lost, leaving the faithful bereft, praying for their return. Salima, you talk about the difficulty in getting so many of these cultural artifacts back. What's the Indian government's stance on the Koh-i-Noor's return? Well, it's gone back and forth over the years. In 2016, India's Solicitor General actually stated that the diamond was a gift and not stolen, which is significant on the side of the Koh-i-Noor not returning. The current BJP government said last fall that they have been raising the issue of the diamond with UK officials from time to time and that they will continue to do so and to explore ways to resolve this matter. What that means precisely is actually unclear. It's highly unlikely that the Koh-i-Noor will just be handed over. But what is clear is that the diamond, even when very far from sight, has the potential to cause a diplomatic stir. Thanks Salima.

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister has crashed in heavy fog along the border with Azerbaijan. Rescue teams are searching and Iranian State TV has paused regular programming to ask citizens to pray for his safety.

Varzeqan

Iranian President Raisi missing after helicopter crash

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israel-Gaza War

U.S. envoy visits Israel as troops push deeper into Gaza

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Tehran

Iran’s President Raisi missing after helicopter crash

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Key ally of Netanyahu threatens to quit over Gaza

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Manchester

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New York

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Melbourne

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Council of the City of Sydney

Police officer stabbed in Sydney CBD

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Houston

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Berlin

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Nouméa

Some neighbourhoods out of control in New Caledonia riots

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Bamyan

Spanish tourists killed in Afghanistan shooting

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Cebu City

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Rafah

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Los Angeles

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Louisville

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French force arrives in New Caledonia

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Jerusalem

Aid trucks begin moving through Gaza pier, U.S. says

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The Hague

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Kharkiv

Ukraine Invasion

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Bangkok

FIFA to seek legal advice over Israel suspension

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Rouen

French police kill attempted synagogue arsonist

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Gaza floating pier project for aid deliveries complete

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Handlová

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Beijing

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Washington

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Manhattan

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Banská Bystrica

Alleged gunman charged with Slovak PM's attempted murder

Peter Dutton has announced if the Opposition wins Government it will cut permanent migration numbers in half in an effort to ease the housing supply crisis.

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King Charles III