The Neelanjali Ruby (also known as Neelanjali Star Ruby), at 1,370
carats (274 g), is the world's largest double-star
ruby
A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sa ...
.
Description
A ruby is known as a "star ruby" if it contains an
asterism (distinctive star-shaped light refraction) in the gem. The Neelanjali Ruby is the biggest star ruby in the world. It has 12 points, which makes it a double-star ruby.
Ownership
The ''Neelanjali'' ruby, along with the Rajarathna ruby'','' was used as a
Shiva lingam
A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional i ...
and was worshipped for centuries in the home of the family that owned it. The ruby belongs to G. Vidyaraj, the scion of the
Aravidu dynasty
The Aravidu Dynasty was the fourth and last Hindu dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire in South India. Its founder was Tirumala Deva Raya, whose brother Rama Raya had been the masterful regent of the last ruler of the previous dynasty. Rama Raya's deat ...
which was the last of the four imperial lineages to rule the
Vijayanagara empire
The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
. It is reported to be in safekeeping in
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
See also
*
List of individual gemstones
A number of gemstones have gained fame, either because of their size and beauty or because of the people who owned or wore them.
A list of famous gemstones follows.
Alexandrites
* Smithsonian museums' Alexandrite, the largest cut alexandrite ...
References
Individual rubies
Jewellery industry in India
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