RAS question
Shah Jahan's Peacock Throne (Takht-i-Taus) was made of:
Correct answer: (A) Gold and precious gems.
Shah Jahan's Peacock Throne, or Takht-i-Taus, was made of gold and precious gems.
Explanation
The Peacock Throne is remembered as a Mughal symbol of imperial wealth because it was not a plain seat of state but a gold-and-jewel throne. Its material was about 1,150 kg of gold and 230 kg of precious gems, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond, and it took seven years to make between 1628 and 1635. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes the original throne made for Shah Jahan as a famous golden throne, with golden feet set with jewels and peacock-tail representations inset with diamonds, rubies and other stones. Its later seizure by Nadir Shah in 1739 explains why the object is also linked with Persian royal symbolism.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Silver appears only in Britannica's description of the steps leading to the throne, while the throne itself is described as golden and jewel-studded.
- (C) Ivory is not part of the Peacock Throne's materials in either account.
- (D) Sandalwood does not match the gold-and-gems composition or Britannica's account of a golden throne set with jewels.
Concept
This tests Mughal court culture and material symbols of sovereignty, especially how Shah Jahan projected imperial magnificence. RAS history questions often use such objects to connect rulers, art, political power and major invasions such as Nadir Shah's sack of Delhi.