The Story of the Sikhs

The Story of the Sikhs PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780670093601
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description

The Story of the Sikhs

The Story of the Sikhs PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780670093601
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description


A History of the Sikhs

A History of the Sikhs PDF Author: Khushwant Singh
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description


Empire of the Sikhs

Empire of the Sikhs PDF Author: Patwant Singh
Publisher: Peter Owen Publishers
ISBN: 0720615240
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 343

Get Book Here

Book Description
The definitive biography of Ranjit Singh, contemporary of Napoleon and one of the most powerful and charismatic Indian rulers of his ageRanjit Singh has been largely written out of accounts of the subcontinent's past by recent Western historians, yet he had an impact that lasts to this day. He unified the warring chiefdoms of the Punjab into an extraordinary northern Empire of the Sikhs, built up a formidable modern army, kept the British in check to the south of his realm, and closed the Khyber Pass through which plunderers had for centuries poured into India. Unique among empire builders, he was humane and just, gave employment to defeated foes, honored religious faiths other than his own, and included Hindus and Muslims among his ministers. In person he was a colorful character whose his court was renowned for its splendor; he had 20 wives, kept a regiment of "Amazons," and possessed a stable of thousands of horses. The authors make use of a variety of eyewitness accounts from Indian and European sources, from reports of Maratha spies at the Lahore Durbar to British parliamentary papers and travel accounts. The story includes the range of the maharaja's military achievements and ends with an account of the controversial period of the Anglo-Sikh Wars following his death, which saw the fall of his empire while in the hands of his successors.

The Sikhs

The Sikhs PDF Author: Patwant Singh
Publisher: Image
ISBN: 0307429334
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 268

Get Book Here

Book Description
Five hundred years ago, Guru Nanak founded the Sikh faith in India. The Sikhs defied the caste system; rejected the authority of Hindu priests; forbade magic and idolatry; and promoted the equality of men and women -- beliefs that incurred the wrath of both Hindus and Muslims. In the centuries that followed, three of Nanak's nine successors met violent ends, and his people continued to battle hostile regimes. The conflict has raged into our own time: in 1984 the Golden Temple of Amritsar -- the holy shrine of the Sikhs--was destroyed by the Indian Army. In retaliation, Sikh bodyguards assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Now, Patwant Singh gives us the compelling story of the Sikhs -- their origins, traditions and beliefs, and more recent history. He shows how a movement based on tenets of compassion and humaneness transformed itself, of necessity, into a community that values bravery and military prowess as well as spirituality. We learn how Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru, welded the Sikhs into a brotherhood, with each man bearing the surname Singh, or "Lion," and abiding by a distinctive code of dress and conduct. He tells of Banda the Brave's daring conquests, which sowed the seeds of a Sikh state, and how the enlightened ruler Ranjit Singh fulfilled this promise by founding a Sikh empire. The author examines how, through the centuries, the Sikh soldier became an exemplar of discipline and courage and explains how Sikhs -- now numbering nearly 20 million worldwide -- have come to be known for their commitment to education, their business acumen, and their enterprising spirit. Finally, Singh concludes that it would be a grave error to alienate an energetic and vital community like the Sikhs if modern India is to realize its full potential. He urges India's leaders to learn from the past and to "honour the social contract with Indians of every background and persuasion."

Fauja Singh Keeps Going

Fauja Singh Keeps Going PDF Author: Simran Jeet Singh
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0525555099
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 49

Get Book Here

Book Description
The true story of Fauja Singh, who broke world records to become the first one hundred-year-old to run a marathon, shares valuable lessons on the source of his grit, determination to overcome obstacles, and commitment to positive representation of the Sikh community. Every step forward is a victory. Fauja Singh was born determined. He was also born with legs that wouldn't allow him to play cricket with his friends or carry him to school miles from his village in Punjab. But that didn't stop him. Working on his family's farm, Fauja grew stronger to meet his own full potential. He never stopped striving. At the age of 81, after a lifetime of making his body, mind, and heart stronger, Fauja decided to run his first marathon. He went on to break records all around the world and became the first person over 100 to complete the grueling long-distance race. With exuberant text by Simran Jeet Singh and exhilarating illustrations by Baljinder Kaur, the true story of Fauja Singh reminds us that it's both where we start and how we finish that make our journeys unforgettable.

The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia

The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia PDF Author: Sarbpreet Singh
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
ISBN: 935708133X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 244

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 1801 the young scion of a petty fiefdom in the Punjab was invested with the title of Maharaja of Punjab. The young man whose name was Ranjit Singh went on to carve out a kingdom for himself that stretched from the borders of Afghanistan in the west to the boundaries of the British Raj in the east. It included the lush hills and valleys of Kashmir the barren mountains of Ladakh and the fertile plains of his native Punjab. The British valued him as an ally who would keep their western frontier safe and while they coveted his kingdom they did not dare to engage in military adventures in Punjab during his lifetime. The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia is an examination of Ranjit Singh and his times that focuses on a wide array of characters that populated his court. All these stories combine to present a nuanced and complex image of Maharaja Ranjit Singh through his interactions with these characters. The work humanises Maharaja Ranjit Singh and presents him as the brilliant man he clearly was without attempting to gloss over his flaws and foibles.

Royals and Rebels

Royals and Rebels PDF Author: Priya Atwal
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0197566944
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 326

Get Book Here

Book Description
In late-eighteenth-century India, the glory of the Mughal emperors was fading, and ambitious newcomers seized power, changing the political map forever. Enter the legendary Maharajah Ranjit Singh, whose Sikh Empire stretched throughout northwestern India into Afghanistan and Tibet. Priya Atwal shines fresh light on this long-lost kingdom, looking beyond its founding father to restore the queens and princes to the story of this empire's spectacular rise and fall. She brings to life a self-made ruling family, inventively fusing Sikh, Mughal and European ideas of power, but eventually succumbing to gendered family politics, as the Sikh Empire fell to its great rival in the new India: the British. Royals and Rebels is a fascinating tale of family, royalty and the fluidity of power, set in a dramatic global era when new stars rose and upstart empires clashed.

First Raj of the Sikhs

First Raj of the Sikhs PDF Author: Harish Dhillon
Publisher: Hay House, Inc
ISBN: 9381398399
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 286

Get Book Here

Book Description
Banda Singh Bahadur appeared in Sikh history for a relatively short period (1708-1716) but, after the Sikh gurus, influenced it more significantly than any other individual. Banda Singh Bahadur is among the most colourful and fascinating characters in Sikh history. From an ascetic he was transformed into Guru Gobind Singh’s most trusted disciple. So much so that when the seriously injured guru could not lead his Sikh army against the Mughal forces, he appointed Banda Singh Bahadur as his deputy. As proof of this appointment he gave Banda his sword, a mighty bow, arrows from his own quiver, his battle standard and his war drum. Banda rode out from Nanded (where Guru Gobind Singh passed away; now in Maharashtra) at the head of a small band of Sikhs, which, by the time it reached the Punjab, had grown into a formidable army. Over the next few years his exploits against the Mughal rulers, both in pitched battles and in skirmishes, became the stuff of legends. He became the first of many legendary Sikh generals, famous both for their personal heroic courage and their skill in warfare. His many encounters with the Mughal rulers eroded the very foundation of the Mughal empire and ensured its quick demise. As he said when questioned on what he had achieved: ‘I have ensured that never again will the crown sit easily on the Mughal emperor’s head.’ He also prepared the coming generations of Sikhs for future conflicts, which later greatly helped Maharaja Ranjit Singh in creating a Sikh empire. Banda was a true leader who led from the front, not only in the battlefield but also in civil administration. He established a secular government which swept aside 700 years of slavery and the myth of domination by foreign powers, proclaimed freedom of worship, allowed the people to follow professions of their choice and stopped forcible marriages even while recovering abducted women for return to their families. His land revolution abolished zamindari in parts of North India, thereby redistributing land equally amongst the tillers. This book seeks to tell the story of this remarkable and brave man and his equally remarkable ahievements. Perhaps, the finest of Banda Singh Bahadur’s biographies.

A Critical Study of the Life and Teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev

A Critical Study of the Life and Teachings of Sri Guru Nanak Dev PDF Author: Sewaram Singh Thapar
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Sikhism
Languages : en
Pages : 204

Get Book Here

Book Description


The Sikhs

The Sikhs PDF Author: Khushwant Singh
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 9353574668
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 250

Get Book Here

Book Description
In this classic, Khushwant Singh presents a concise history of the followers of one of the world's youngest religions. Beginning with the life and times of the founder, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), he moves on to describe the vital contribution made by the following nine gurus in shaping and developing the Sikh religion; and the significance of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and its centrality to the religion. He examines the setting up of the Singh Sabha and the accompanying social reform, the impact of the Ghadr rebellion and the Akali agitation for control of various Sikh shrines. The new Afterword by his son, journalist Rahul Singh, brings the story of the Sikhs up to date. Authoritative yet accessible, this is one of the most concise and readable accounts of the Sikhs and their faith.