The Sikhs

Rating:
Summary: The book that took 500 years to write ?
Review: 'THE BOOK THAT TOOK 500 YEARS TO WRITE" blasts the marketing puff for Patwant Singh's latest offering 'The Sikhs' launched by Knopf this month. But who wrote it? This is the real question. The answer is twofold - who is Patwant Singh? and who wrote the book ?- whoever it was certainly didn't take more than 500 minutes. This book, with its slamming of Brahmanical influences and high criticism of the Indian Government's role in subverting Sikhism has an interesting sub text.

A good benchmark of any Sikh writer is their position during the 1984 Punjab crisis. In 1984, and it's aftremath, Patwant Singh, the whiskey sipping Delhi Dilettante, emitted a silence of deafening proportions. Patwant Singh, who counted Indian cabinet ministers as close friends and regularly had high ranking Congress Politicians at his boozy evening soirees, didn't want to hurt their feelings.

But wasthe cunning Patwant playing a waiting game? Was he waiting for Bluestar and Black Thunder to be over to strike his blow at the heart of the Brahminical regime he now detests so much? His chance came in 1988 with the publication of 'The Golden Temple'. Here for the first time, post 1984, was an opportunity for a 'major writer on the Sikhs' to give an account of one of the most significant acts of barbarity committed against the Sikh people. Again, a deafening silence - not one mention of the events of June 1984. The Indian government, his friends and drinking buddies must have felt as if they had been savaged by an angry kitten.

He now rushes to defend the Sikh community - spurred on, no doubt, by First Class travel paid for by willing patrons. In the UK he rushed to the Victoria and Albert Hall in 1999 to deliver a speech - a speech I cannot comment on as the snoring from the first four rows obscured the sound. In New York he embarrassed his Sikh hosts by refusing to accept the non alcoholic drinks they had laid on at a dinner in his honour and asking loudly for a 'Glenfiddich on the rocks'! As hypocrisy gave way to pomposity he priced the aforementioned 'Golden Temple' at £180 to be sold at the Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms exhibition at the V&A Museum in London.

Credit should be drawn to his performance on the BBC's 'The Sikhs' documentary where he was interviewed alongside his old enemy Khushwant Singh - and came out tops.

Back to the book. So what bought on the sudden about face - 'The Sikhs' is full of references to Brahmincal interference - why suddenly has Pompous Singh got so upset? Brahminism is to blame for everything today according to Singh- possibly even the hypocrisy of the 'greatest living Sikh historian'. So what has caused such an amazing volte face? Could it be the change of Govt in Delhi - and all his old mates losing their jobs? Could it be his fall from grace as the Congress Party's favourite Sirdar? Or could it be the introduction of huge import duties on Pompous's favourite Scotch whiskey and French wines?

Either way, Pompous Singh, has written a book that has become the de-facto Ladybird guide to Sikh History. But did he write it at all?

Singh, is not a man that has the time, the knowledge or the inclination to write 80 000 words on the history of the Sikhs. He enjoys chasing the flesh and entertaining guests at his boudoir-like apartments in New Delhi far too much to have time to write a book of this length. Instead, in the best fashion of Indian writers, he surrounds himself with students, researchers and aspiring writers - no doubt desperate for the pleasure of researching and writing for the great man - all credit (if any) should go to them.

'The Sikhs' is not a new book. There are factual errors abound in the text - furthermore it is a history book written from secondary sources with no attempt to challenge or critique the material to arrive at a truthful reconstruction of 500 years of Sikh history. In this regard a great opportunity to correct the myths and errors in Sikh history has been lost.

The Sikhs is a book in the best traditions of those authors jumping on the 1999 tercentenary bandwagon.

If you have never read a Sikh history book before you can do worse - go ahead get it - if you already are a keen reader - don't bother.

Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: A great history on the Sikh people. The book is not entirely impartial but is still quite accurate and is a valuable addition to my collection.

Rating:
Summary: An account of Sikh History
Review: A very well written account of Sikh history.The coverage of attempts to undermine Sikhs over the past 500 years is thought provoking.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting book for those interested in Sikh history
Review: An interesting book on Sikh history till modern times. Read the history from Sikh point of view.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book. At last the Indian Govt is exposed
Review: I thought this book was excellent. The first time a Sikh has written about Sikhs and not got caught up in this I am an Indian nonsense. The exposure of India's deliberate genocide of Sikhs is commendable , as the whole world knows the deaths of 250,000 Sikhs cannot be forgotten.

All non brahmins take note , you are being fooled by the Indian Govt!

Rating:
Summary: Standard "Anglicized" Indian fare--riddled with inaccuracies
Review: If the first chapter is anything to go by, this book is filled with inaccuracies and half-truths. In the first few pages alone, Singh repeats ad nauseam the completely discredited Aryan-invasion of India myth. Had Singh bothered to read any of the fantastic recent scholarship in this area, he would have realized that this "theory" was nothing but an Orientalist concoction designed by those who could not accept that a civilization of such antiquity, sophistication, and achievement could have existed outside of Europe. Singh goes on to speak of Vardhamana as the founder of Jainism when in reality, Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Jain Tirthankar of this era (which again, Singh would have known had he bothered to learn anything about Jainism). Furthermore, Singh begins this book with a tirade against caste, yet it is well-known that the caste system, especially the Jat/Khatri division persists within the Sikh community (and to a lesser extent, within the Indian Buddhist and Jain communities). And he is just wrong with his malicious definition/defamation of the meaning of dharma.

I shudder to think that these fallacies and falsehoods may be further reinforced in popular consciousness due simply to the lack of scholarly diligence of Mr. Singh. I hope that the rest of the book is better than the first chapter and that he does justice to the Sikhs.

Rating:
Summary: "The Sikhs" by Patwant Singh
Review: In the wake of the September 11th tragedy, Sikh-Americans have been the target of misguided attacks due to their appearance. An appearance comprised of articles of the Sikh faith - a turban and unshorn beard.

Patwant Singh's book provides a vivid account of the origins, beliefs and subsequent history of this 500 year old, egalitarian faith that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent.

The book explains the significance behind the unique identity of the Sikh people - their turbans and beards - and brings to mind the sad irony that they are being mistaken, by some in the US, for the very Islamic fundamentalism that they have been fighting against since their beginnings.

The Sikhs are disciples of Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh faith, who was succeeded by nine other Gurus (spiritual masters). Guru Nanak likened all religions to different travelers aiming at one and the same destination but following different paths and diverse ways. Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last living Guru who lived from 1666 to 1708. It was this tenth prophet, that gave the Sikhs their present form and appearance, which was a culmination of the constant endeavor, struggle and sacrifices of the Gurus as well as of their innumerable followers.

In Singh's analysis of Sikh relations with Hindus, he points out that the monotheistic and egalitarian principles upon which the Sikh faith was founded proved to be in direct conflict with the philosophy and thought of the "caste-conscious" ruling Hindu-Brahmins i.e. Indira Gandhi. Singh's point is not a new one; there have been other faiths in Indian history that have been repressed by the hands of Brahmin ideology. For example, a study of Buddhism's growth (or lack of) in the country of its birth, India, would also reveal a similar thesis.

This exceptionally well-written account is a must for every Sikh household seeking to attain a glimpse of its stoic and spiritual past, or for any individual wishing to gain an insight to the history and way of life of the Sikh people.

Rating:
Summary: "The Sikhs" by Patwant Singh
Review: In the wake of the September 11th tragedy, Sikh-Americans have been the target of misguided attacks due to their appearance. An appearance comprised of articles of the Sikh faith - a turban and unshorn beard.

Patwant Singh's book provides a vivid account of the origins, beliefs and subsequent history of this 500 year old, egalitarian faith that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent.

The book explains the significance behind the unique identity of the Sikh people - their turbans and beards - and brings to mind the sad irony that they are being mistaken, by some in the US, for the very Islamic fundamentalism that they have been fighting against since their beginnings.

The Sikhs are disciples of Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh faith, who was succeeded by nine other Gurus (spiritual masters). Guru Nanak likened all religions to different travelers aiming at one and the same destination but following different paths and diverse ways. Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last living Guru who lived from 1666 to 1708. It was this tenth prophet, that gave the Sikhs their present form and appearance, which was a culmination of the constant endeavor, struggle and sacrifices of the Gurus as well as of their innumerable followers.

In Singh's analysis of Sikh relations with Hindus, he points out that the monotheistic and egalitarian principles upon which the Sikh faith was founded proved to be in direct conflict with the philosophy and thought of the "caste-conscious" ruling Hindu-Brahmins i.e. Indira Gandhi. Singh's point is not a new one; there have been other faiths in Indian history that have been repressed by the hands of Brahmin ideology. For example, a study of Buddhism's growth (or lack of) in the country of its birth, India, would also reveal a similar thesis.

This exceptionally well-written account is a must for every Sikh household seeking to attain a glimpse of its stoic and spiritual past, or for any individual wishing to gain an insight to the history and way of life of the Sikh people.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting read.
Review: In this book, Patwant Singh traces the history of the Sikhs from their beginnings in the teachings of Guru Nanak in the 16th century to the present. This history is in-depth, and written in an easy to read manner.

It must be said that this book was written with a bias, but I found it refreshing and passionate. Admittedly, I have no stake in the religious affairs of India, but I do see how a reader of the Muslim or (more so) Hindu faith might strongly disagree with the author's interpretations.

Therefore, I do give this book a somewhat reserved recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: Informative if somewhat biased account
Review: Mr Singh's survey is brief. He does justice to the nationalist aspirations of the Sikhs and the various forms of discriminations against them, but does not address the more common or everyday 'stereotyping' as nouveaux riches, dagger carriers and turban wearers. Mr Singh is good at explaining the Sikh's view of their own history but tends to be impartial in praising their causes or worldview. Indeed, he begins by attacking one of the oldest world religion - and rival -Hinduism by criticizing, among other things, its caste system and particualrly the Brahmins who have dominated the Indian subcontinent for much of its history. He also dismisses other competing religious groups in india - i.e. Buddhists. Overall, despite the understandable bias I found the book informative, if unbalanced. It is also worthwhile as America becomes more embroiled in central Asia. After all the Sikh region prevails in the Punjab, a region which India shares with Pakistan.