Navtej Sarna

Guru Nanak was deeply spiritual from an early age, having being born into a society caught in the throes of orthodoxy and ritualism. The ills of child marriage, infanticide and a rigid caste system had further crippled his people. The outpouring of Nanak’s faith evolved into the universal message of the omnipresence and existence of one God, of true love, equality and compassion, which appealed to Hindus and Muslims alike. Drawing upon the various myths and legends contained in anecdotal biographies and placing them in as precise a historical framework as possible, The Book of Nanak traces the chronology of the main events of Nanak’s life. It sheds new light on Guru Nanak’s message and includes translations of some of his hymns, which continue to inspire people the world over.

The Book of Nanak

At the start of the new millennium, Aftab’s life came undone. He turned forty, and his wife of fourteen years left him for another man, taking their only child with her. Now he is on a train to Dehradun, the town of his childhood, doing the one thing he feels he is still good at: running away. As he looks back on his imperfect past, crowded with personal and professional compromises, only a slim hope saves him from despair: perhaps this flight will give him a second chance to reclaim a long-lost love that could have been his, had he the courage of his convictions. And then he can start afresh. With uncommon sensitivity and a rare understanding of human emotions, Navtej Sarna has produced a poignant account of a life of missed opportunities and approximate loves.

We Weren't Lovers like That

Navtej

The Exile

In 1839, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab died and his empire was plunged into chaos. Less than a decade later, weakened by internecine rivalry, Punjab fell into the hands of the British. The ruler who signed away the kingdom and its treasures, including the famed Koh-i-noor diamond, was the eleven-year-old Duleep Singh, the youngest of Ranjit Singh’s acknowledged sons. In this nuanced and poignant novel, Navtej Sarna tells the unusual story of the last Maharaja of Punjab. Soon after the British annexed his kingdom, Duleep was separated from his mother and his people, taken under British guardianship and converted to Christianity. At sixteen, he was transported to England to live the life of a country squire—an exile that he had been schooled to seek himself. But disillusionment with the treatment meted out to him and a late realization of his lost legacy turned Duleep into a rebel. He became a Sikh again and sought to return to and lead his people. The attempt would drag him into the murky politics of nineteenth-century Europe, leaving him depleted and vulnerable to every kind of deceit and ridicule. His end came in a cheap hotel room in Paris, but not before one last act of betrayal and humiliation.

Humra Quraishi

In the 1990s, Husna Hakeem travels to Kashmir in search of a shawl-seller. Little does she know that she will meet her destiny in the form of Meer, an unconventional, violence-abhorring man who becomes her soulmate. As they create an idyllic life for themselves in Meer's dunga, Husna cannot be happier. But this happiness is rudely shattered when, on the night she gives birth to their child, she is forcibly separated from Meer and sent back to her hometown. Months later, Husna returns to Kashmir, determined to find answers, her newborn and, most of all, Meer. But can she find happiness again amidst the terrible violence that has engulfed the state? And is Meer still the same man she had once loved so deeply? A novel about the fractured relations and disturbing truths of lives in conflict zones, Meer is also a story of resilience and love.

Stories

Winter Evenings

Eight hundred years ago Baba Farid, the great Sufi saint of the Chisti order, visited Jerusalem, freshly wrested back for Islam from the Crusaders by Saladin, and meditated there for forty days in an underground room. Later, an Indian Hospice was born through a waqf endowment around that room and has welcomed Indian pilgrims and soldiers to Jerusalem ever since. For close to a century, through the tumultuous years of the British Mandate, the Second World War, the birth of Israel and the ensuing decades of conflict, the Hospice has been looked after by an Indian family first by Sheikh Nazir Hasan Ansari, a police inspector s son from Saharanpur, and then by his eldest son, Sheikh Munir Ansari. Following in the tradition of literary travellers such as Bruce Chatwin and Paul Theroux, Navtej Sarna wanders through the timeless narrow lanes of Old Jerusalem, sifting through fact and fable to tease out the unique story of the Indian Hospice and the Ansari family. What starts off as a personal conversation becomes a deeply researched but lightly told account that weaves historical narrative with telling personal detail.

A Jerusalem Tale

Indians at Herod's Gate

At The Start Of The New Millennium, Aftab S Life Came Undone. He Turned Forty, And His Wife Of Fourteen Years Left Him For Another Man, Taking Their Only Child With Her. Now He Is On A Train To Dehradun, The Town Of His Childhood, Doing The One Thing He Feels He Is Still Good At: Running Away. As He Looks Back On His Imperfect Past, Crowded With Personal And Professional Compromises, Only A Slim Hope Saves Him From Despair: Perhaps This Flight Will Give Him A Second Chance To Reclaim A Long-Lost Love That Could Have Been His, Had He The Courage Of His Convictions. And Then He Can Start Afresh. With Uncommon Sensitivity And A Rare Understanding Of Human Emotions, Navtej Sarna Has Produced A Poignant Account Of A Life Of Missed Opportunities And Approximate Loves.

Navtej Sarna

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