LONDON, ENGLAND, August 20, 2021 (Khaleej Times): HPI Note: One mostly reads about Robert Clive for his military exploits and establishment of British Power in India. One rarely encounters the fact he was also a common thief, having stolen a large number of objects from India and shipped them back to England.
One of the many Indian slang words incorporated in the English language is loot. A large number of items gifted or acquired during the long colonial encounter were transported to Britain, and are now based in museums and part of the Royal Collection and private holdings in families of former soldiers and officials. But the largest collection of loot is officially acknowledged to be in the Powis Castle in north Wales, nearly 186 miles from London, where most tourists rarely venture. Except historians and some antique lovers, not many in the Indian subcontinent are aware of its existence or location. A visit to the castle and its holdings is well worth the trek across motorways and smaller roads through sylvan countryside, before being faced with the reality of colonial loot.
The castle, set on sprawling grounds, is host to the largest private collection of its type in Britain, comprising priceless items brought by Robert Clive (1725-74) and his son, Edward Clive (1754-1839). The senior Clive is credited with laying the foundation of the British Empire in India by winning the Battle of Plassey, while the junior Clive was governor of Madras when Tipu Sultan was defeated and killed in 1799 in Srirangapatna. Both carried home a large number of items, including statues of Hindu gods, hookahs, swords, paintings, textiles, gold, ceremonial armor and jewelry following their conquests in India. Following the recent “retain and explain” approach to items and artifacts, the trust acknowledges the dubious ways in which the collection was acquired and brought to England. Photography is not allowed inside the museum, but a large noticeboard explains Robert Clive’s character and exploits in colonial India.
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