Ganesha gets BLING AVATAR

The Times of India, November 7, 2010

London: Diamonds, they say, are forever. Remember Bond songstress Shirley Bassey belting out that number! Purists may insist, though, that some are more eternal than others.

The gem is owned by Rosy Blue NV of Antwerp, possibly the world’s largest diamond manufacturing company that has its own Indian connection — the CEO is Mumbai-born Dilip Mehta. The firm engaged Udayraj Gadnis, a spiritual painter who has held solos in India, the UK and US, to design the gold pendant.

The pendant mirrors the terraced terrain of the Himalayan foothills. This, to Gadnis, signifies that Ganesha ascended from the womb of mother India. “I could see ganapathy seated in vajrasana (yogic pose),” says the artist who is also known as Shivanand. Hence, the name Vilas Ganapathy (literally, Ganesha that brings luxury).

Like many of the world’s top diamonds (see graphic), this one, too, was sourced from South Africa. A Rosy Blue spokesperson said: “We approached several international jewellery designers and craftsmen but finally selected a renowned spiritual artist. Udayraj has brought in a whole new dimension to this diamond.”

The market for colored diamonds is extremely strong. Whereas collectors once concentrated on carats and a stone's physical quality, they now view jewellery as an art form. This stone is expected to fetch a significant sum.

Dressed in a vibrant yellow dhoti, kurta, shawl and a red turban when the TOI met him, Gadnis said his first response to the gem was that it was a “miracle of nature”. He was so inspired by it that he decided to recreate it on canvas. The painting, which is dedicated to Indu Jain, chairperson of the Times of India Group, was painted by the Thames, which the artist said, reminded him of the Ganga.

Proceeds from the auction will be used to support children’s education in diamond producing countries in Africa through a charity known as Diamond Empowerment. Exploitation of miners has been a controversial subject; indeed, a topic of Hollywood films such as the Leonardo DiCapriostarrer ‘Blood Diamond’.

A number of the world’s most expensive diamonds emanate from Africa but India has had its share of famous gems. The Kohinoor may not figure in the list of top 10 most expensive diamonds but it enjoys the greatest mystique. The stone, mined in Golkonda, occupies pride of place in the British monarch’s glittering crown. And though India has occasionally demanded its return, it’s likely to stay on display at the Tower of London.