J. S. Grewal

This book is the fourth 'incarnation' of essays published in 1972. A slightly revised edition appeared in 1982, and an enlarged one in 1996. The present edition is much enlarged and thoroughly revised. In many of these essays the author has analysed contemporary works of history and literature and all other essays are based strictly on contemporary evidence. In the volume as a whole Sikh ideology, polity and social order are seen from various perspectives to illumine their inter-relationship in all its richness and complexity. A variety of sources in Punjabi, Persian and English are used in these essays with reference to the 'received wisdom'. The volume, thus, is likely to provide the best introduction to the pre-colonial Sikh tradition for young researchers. The professional historians may find it useful for comparison in the light of their own understanding. The general reader would find it interesting especially as it brings out the essential significance of several contemporary works of literature. Indispensable for the teachers and students of Sikh history, this book has equal relevance for scholars of social sciences, religion and literature.

From Guru Nanak to Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Sikh Ideology Polity, and Social Order

In a revised edition of his original book, J. S. Grewal brings the history of the Sikhs from its beginnings in the time of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, right up to the present day. Against the background of the history of the Punjab, the volume surveys the changing pattern of human settlements in the region 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 development of his ideas by his successors and the growth of his following. The book offers a comprehensive statement on one of the largest and most important communities in India today.

The Sikhs of the Punjab

The Assessments of British Historians

Muslim Rule in India

Photographic reproduction of selected documents pertaining to property dealings at Batala, Punjab 18th-19th cent., with transcription, translation, annotation, and abstracts.

Some Persian Documents from a Punjab Town

In the By-lanes of History

The unifying theme in the life of Guru Gobind Singh was confrontation with the Mughals, which culminated in a struggle for political power. This fact is brought into sharp focus when we consider the Guru’s life and legacy simultaneously in the contexts of the Mughal Empire, its feudatory states in the hills, and the Sikh movement. The creation of the Khalsa in 1699 as a political community with the aspiration to rule made conciliation or compromise with the Mughal state almost impossible. Their long struggle ended eventually in the declaration of Khalsa Raj in 1765. Using contemporary and near contemporary sources in Gurmukhi, Persian, and English, J.S. Grewal presents a comprehensive study of this era of Sikh history. The volume elaborates on the life and legacy of Guru Gobind Singh and explores the ideological background of the institution of the Khalsa and its larger political context. Grewal, however, emphasizes that the legacy of the Khalsa was also social and cultural. This authoritative volume on the tenth Guru is a significant addition to the field of Sikh studies.

Master of the White Hawk

Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708)

This is the first comprehensive study of the life and work of Master Tara Singh (1885-1967), Akali leader, freedom fighter, and arguably the foremost leader of the Sikhs. Master Tara Singh's vision of the "Indian National State" was fundamentally different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian National Congress. The partition of British Punjab and the formation of Punjabi Suba are the lasting legacies of his determined efforts to protect Sikh interests. Employing new and a broad variety of sources in English and Punjabi, J.S. Grewal weaves a comprehensive biography of Master Tara Singh. Divided into two parts, the first deals with Master Tara Singh's anti-British activity in colonial India, while the second traces the political and religious trajectories of the movements led by him in pursuit of a unilingual Punjab state. Lending unity to the two parts is Master Tara Singh's politics based on Sikh identity as a source of confrontation with the colonial state and the Congress government. Revealing new facts, ideas, and perspectives on Master Tara Singh, this book throws fresh light on the freedom struggle, the Akali movement, the politics of partition, and the working of the Congress governments in the states and at the Centre during a tumultuous and transformative period of Indian history.

Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sikh Identity

Master Tara Singh in Indian History

Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya

Jagtar Singh Grewal

Part of the PHISPC series on medieval Indian history, this volume looks at the period through larger parameters of religion and religious movements, within some of the major religions across the country.

Religious Movements and Institutions in Medieval India

Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha (1883-1942) was an exceptional ruler, a princely 'rebel' who resisted the paramount power in different ways. Forced to abdicate in 1923 ostensibly on account of 'maladministration', Ripudaman Singh was sent to Kodaikanal in 1928, where he died after 14 years in captivity without any recourse to judicial appeal. Set against the backdrop of Indian nationalism, Sikh resurgence, and British paramountcy, J.S. Grewal and Indu Banga trace the Maharaja's political career, revealing the devious ways in which the paramount power dealt with traditional nobility. They explore his career, education, and upbringing to explain his ideological stance, appreciation for Indian nationalism, and his active involvement in the Sikh reformist movement. Moved by Panthic and nationalist concerns, the Maharaja of Nabha bridged 'Indian India' and British India through the concerns he affirmed, reforms he introduced, and the causes he espoused as a patriot.

Paramountcy, Patriotism, and the Panth

A Political Biography of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha

Irfan Habib

This Volume Presents Translations Of All Major Persian Sources Of Sikh History Upto 1765, When Sikh Power Was Established Over The Punjab. These Sources Offer Details That Are Not Otherwise Available, And Richly Supplement The Information Preserved In The Punjabi (Gurmukhi) Traditions.

J. S. Grewal

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