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Lavish production, visual images of Sikhs and Punjab 18-early 20th century. plates and photos from many collections. includes frescoes, murals, lithographs, miniature, ivory paintings. filled with color. scholarly introductin ... Read more

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This examination of the sacred texts of Guru Granth Sahib is part of a series on the world's major religions. Each book is written by a practising believer from the faith, and traces the development of the scriptures and their importance to believers today. ... Read more

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Compares the lives and time of the ten Sikh Gurus, their work, philosophies, and their achievements in history. The author has also added to this, material with works of art, and selected artefacts, that develop the cultural content of the Sikh heritage. ... Read more

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The Rahit is the code of belief and conduct laid down by the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, for all Sikhs who join the Khalsa.In this important new volume, W. H. McLeod examines how the Rahit came into being, how it developed in response to the current historical circumstances, and why it still retains an unchallenged hold over all who regard themselves as Khalsa Sikhs. ... Read more

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This important new contribution to the New Cambridge History of India examines chronologically the entire span of Sikh history from prehistoric times to the present day.In an introductory chapter, Professor Grewal surveys the changing pattern of human settlements in the Punjab until the fifteenth century and the emergence of the Punjabi language as the basis of regional articulation. Subsequent chapters explore the life and beliefs of Guru Nanak--the founder of Sikhism; the extension and modification of his ideas by his successors; the increasing number and composition of their followers and the development of Sikh self identity. Professor Grewal also analyzes the emergence of Sikhism in relation to the changing historical situation of Turko-Afghan rule, the Mughal empire and its disintegration, British rule and independence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A much-needed book
I was born in Punjab and though for the most part I grew up elsewhere in India, I spent a quarter a year for many years in Punjab. I witnessed some of the events covered by the book (the Khalistan movement and Operation Blue Star). In early November of 1984, people in my neighborhood kept watch to protect the two Sikh families we all sheltered. However, at that time many others freely killed the Sikhs who were completely innocent of the assassination of Indira Gandhi. My elementary school, run by a Sikh woman was burned down to the ground. Those were terrible times and those memories will be with me forever.

Having said that, there has not been a scholarly book describing that period in a single volume. This book is much needed. The prose is not engaging and it is a difficult read, but it describes the other side of the story (the non-"Congress" story). Towards the end of the book the tone of the author turns partisan, but I think partisan voices are needed. Thousands of innocent Sikhs were slaughtered and to date hardly any justice has been done. Most Indians read the state-sponsored version that terms the whole situation as militancy without going into the alienation felt by rural Sikhs who were not benefiting under the Indira regime. And I don't think most Indians today realize the truth.

This book does require a good degree of familiarity with Punjab's geography and Indian history to be understood. The coverage of ancient India is not deep. However I am glad that the story of modern Punjab is being told and people are getting wiser to what really happened there in the past 60 years. From his name, it appears that the author is probably not Sikh though it does not matter.

A Dense, Fact-Packed Read
This is a dense, fact-packed book.It is not lightly written, but a rigorous and serious academic study of the Sikh people from their inception with the Guru Nanak up to the period of political turmoil that both preceded and followed the Operation Bluestar raid in Amritsar.Academics will no doubt find this a valuable treasure to have on their shelves, but the reader who is not anointed in the history or religion of the Sikhs will find this a difficult, arduous read.So, for the initiated I would give it five stars, but for the novice more like three - so I have compromised on four.If you want to know about the Sikhs and their history, you should read this book, but if you don't know anything about them, you should start elsewhere and work your way towards this book.

Best Sikh History Book
The task of writing any religious group's history is like walking on a mine field. Grewal has come out of this walk unscathed, nothing less than a miracle. Many historians have burnt their fingers doing what Grewal has done so well. This books starts with the evolution of Sikh philosophy and traces the Sikh history as it went through many twists and turns. The noticable difference is that author doesn't treat Sikhs in isolation from their surroundings. It puts the Sikhs and their history in full social context of those times. In fact, the book also offers the best history of Mughal period as it coincides with Sikh Gurus very well. It dwells upon the political, cultural and religious unfolding of this period. The internal conflict among various Sikh sects and communities is represented very well. The language is very crisp, concise and without any repetition or unwanted opinion pieces. Anyone trying to understand the modern political upheaval in the region must start with this book. It covers the period from well before Guru Nanak to 1980s. One can easily see why it took author 10 years to write it. A must for anyone having anything to do with Sikhs or Punjab. Worth every cent of its price.

A caution. The recent events brought out many "pop" books on Sikh history. Most, if not all, are just long op-ed articles, sprinkled with catchy photos, glossy papers and hot politcal buttons. Just a waste of your money.

J.S. Grewal's is truly the first professional history of Sikhs. It sets bar quite high fo future historians. ... Read more

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The phenomenon of "speaking in tongues" is examined in its religio-historical context in this text. Part 1 considers recent scholarly studies of "inspired speech" in the ancient world where parallels have been alleged with the early Christian experience as recorded in the New Testament. In Part 2 both the Lucan and Pauline references to "tongues" are considered in detail with a view to discerning the significance of the phenomenon for the church in its mission and worship. In the light of this, practical implications are drawn for the church in the 21st century. ... Read more

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classic on Sikh history and religion, 1st pub.l 9n 1963. just re-leased with corrections. updated through 1988. with index, bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lucid and scholarly
The most readable and trustworthy account of the history of the Sikhs yet. Sikhism has stood the test of time and stands for universal brotherhood. Here is a book that narrates the history of this glorious religion withoutemphasizing its recent dirty and divisive politics (as opposed to PatwantSingh's attempt at 'history')

Highly recommended for uninitiatedwesterners, serious scholars and history buffs.

exellentaccount of sikhhistory,asubject not many peo
there millions of sikhsall over the world, who would like to know about their heritage, in a nondistorted way. there is no reliabletext that one could refer to. kushwant singh probably is the most reliable source at thispoint.we should not be deprived of this source of enlightenment. ... Read more

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History of the Sikhs is a five volume survey aiming to present a comprehensive view of the rise, growth and development of Sikh thought and action in every direction. The author has based his work on Persian, Urdu, Gurmukhi and English sources. ... Read more

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"In this collection of over 100 images, the history of the Sikh prowess in war is documented in photographs covering 150 years, supplemented by early prints and paintings. Amandeep Singh Madra and Parmjit Singh trace the spiritual and ethical origins of the Sikh call-to-arms, from the martyrdom and conflict of the Mughal period, which led to the founding of the Khalsa, to the Afghan and Persian invasions. They describe the rise of the Sikh kingdoms and the British Raj and the subsequent Anglo-Sikh wars and document the largely unrecognized contributions of Sikhs in both World Wars and in more recent international conflicts. This commentary is complemented by contemporary quotations from the Sikh Gurus and from allies and foes of the Sikh soldiers, while detailed captions add narrative and human detail to the broader history."--BOOK JACKET. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Amazing
Being a young adult that is learning about Sikhi i have to say this book gave me alot of inspiration. Right through from photo's in the 19th century it truly amazed me. Honestly, fantastic! Recommended to anyone and everyone. I have already shown it to a friend and even they said wow you have such a rich history. Only this book could have told me the past which has been forgotten, as pictures say a thousand words..

Hopefully there are more books like this by the author..

An Excellent pictography
This got to be the top coffee table book for any sikh households.

A Masterful Account of Sikh Military Tradition
This one should belong in the library of all Sikhs and historians of the Indian Subcontinent.
A beautifully documented and illustrated piece of work.
Madra's incredible effort provides a unique insight as to why the British held the military prowess of the Sikhs in such high-regard.

God Bless toS. AmandeepSingh Madraand Paramjeet Singh
First of all I would say, God Bless S. Amandeep Singh Madra , who has done this great job for the coming sikh generation,the generation born in abroad and does not know about sikh's pride. Great God bless these two gentlemen for that they just clear the dust from the sikh braverly and showed the new generation by publishing this book, who ever forgott the sikhs culture and pride. I might order this book in large quantity to distribute in each gurudwara, this is Surinderpal Singh , USA

picture perfect on sikhs
this book took my breath away and made me feel blessed that i am a sikh as well and that i belong to such a wonderful faith. the pictures of the book are rare and extremely well presented, with the design of the book adding on to it's high rating that i give it points which fall way above the options. a great book for coming generations to revere and find inspiration and sikh pride from. buy it for your kids or for your grandchildren. theyare the inheritors of this great tradition that the sikhs are today. ... Read more

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The Essential Reference Guide!From History & Stories to traditions and roles in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism.From Cultural Significance to Actual prayers and poojas (Puja) .Lakshmi to Rama. A MUST READ! ... Read more

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When Baljit visits the Panjab, he realises that his family is scattered around the world. When he returns home to Coventry he uses the internet to keep in touch with his cousin, Priti, in the Panjab. They discuss the different ways that they're going to celebrate Guru Nanak's Birthday and form a plan to use the internet to bring the family together on this special day. Introductory text explains the significance of the festival in the Sikh religion and there is a full glossary of unfamiliar terms at the end of the story. ... Read more

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Explore the life of a great spiritual leader--and walk the peaceful path toward God-realization.

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born during a period of political and religious turmoil in India in the fifteenth century. Tension between Hindus and Muslims had escalated, leading to greater polarization of the two religions. By establishing Sikhism, Nanak created a synthesis of Hinduism and Islam with the belief that God is One. He advocated a casteless society based on truth, unity, and equality.

During his twenty-three years of traveling he taught not only in India but also in Tibet, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and in the area of the present-day countries of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran, preaching the truth as he perceived it and showing humankind the path to salvation.

Highlighting his quest for tolerance and compassion, this fascinating biography tells the story of a unique spiritual leader who showed a gentle, peaceful path to realizing God. Admired, loved and respected even in his lifetime, Guru Nanak continues to command admiration and respect five hundred years after he lived, with his lasting universal message of Absolute Unity more urgent and necessary than ever before. ... Read more

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Reprint of a classic o ... Read more

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OTHER VOLS. AVAILABLE. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature. ... Read more

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OTHER VOLS. AVAILABLE. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Fair review butnot in depth analysis of the root causes and problems
Good try by a Western writer but not as good as Dr. Joyce Pettigrew who has given a in-dept analysis of the causes and the problem of the Sikh nation's struggle for Independence.

Original topic, needs some morework
In this brilliantly conceived study the author tried to parse through Sikh history, memory and identity especially in relation to space and homeland.The view is towards examining the Sikh diaspora and its connection and use of pictures and imagined identitites to create the need for 'Khalistan' and the representation of Sikhs, from the last Sikh rulers to the tortured bodies fo Sikhs who were victims of the Indian police during the troubles in Punjab leading up to Operation Blue Star and desecration of the Golden Temple.

This is a very interesting and original book and that is why it deserves not only to be read but to be praised.However it lacks many things that although not pertinent to the subject could have been finally brought out here.THere does not exist one book in all the world in English that deals witht he millions of refugees caused by Pakistani ethnic cleansing in 1948, not one book on their fate and what that means to the Sikh nation, which was torn in half and had all its people cleansed and depopulated from Pakistan.

This is an understudied phenomenon, and becuase the Sikhs are not considered 'white' by the western-european world they get no attention the way the Palestinians do.However this book could have delved deeper into this important issue.

Seth J. Frantzman
... Read more