Rain made everything sparkle. The black rain-slicked carriages, dark leather harnesses on the backs of the horses, even the men's silk top hats glittered as they were leaving the theatres.

The diamond-and-emerald confection was commissioned by German prince Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck for his second wife Katharina around 1900.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, 60 people had died and more than 1 million had sought shelter in 100 relief camps, Dharmana Prasada Rao, the state's revenue minister, said.