Once in India, The Most Famous of Thrones

1914

That of Indian Moguls in the Ancient City of Delhi a Marvel of Richness

Among bare and ugly British barracks in the ancient capital of the Mogul empire in India known as Delhi are remnants of two famous gems of Oriental architecture. They are the Diwan-i-Am, or hall of public audience, and the Diwan-i-Khas, or hall of private audience.

The Diwan-i-Am is still a splendid building 100 feet by 60, formerly plastered with chunam and overlaid with gold. It was in a recess in the back wall of this building that the famous Peacock throne used to stand. It was six feet long by four feet wide, and was supported by feet of solid gold encrusted with gems. The throne was also of gold, inlaid with diamonds, emeralds and rubies and surmounted by a canopy supported by 12 gold columns decorated with rows of splendid pearls.

The throne was given its name from the figures standing behind it of two peacocks with outspread wings blazing with precious stones, their tails expanded and the whole so inlaid with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and other gems of appropriate colors as to represent life.

The throne was valued at $30,000,000 and was carried off by the Persian invader, Nadir Shah, in 1739. Presumably it was constructed in the days of Shah Jahan, a decade less than three hundred years ago.