The Sikhs
by Patwant Singh

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• ISBN13: 9780385502061
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of The Sikhs

Book Review: "The Sikhs" by Patwant Singh
Summary: 5 Stars

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.

India Books

• Books > Subjects > History > Asia
• Religion & Spirituality > Other Eastern Religions > Sikhism
• Religious Studies > History
• Philosophy