The Story Of The Sikhs: Recent Episodes
Sarbpreet Singh
Maha Singh Shukerchakia takes his six year old son Ranjit Singh with him on a successful expedition to Jammu, which yields great wealth, but disaster strikes and the child is stricken with smallpox. The boy recovers but the attack leaves him blind in one eye and scars his face permanently. As Ranjit Singh’s mother goes to Jwalamukhi to pray at the temple there for her son’s recovery, she gets an unexpected visitor. Sada Kaur has decided to bury her bitterness against the man who was responsible for her husband’s death; in a bold strategic move, designed to bolster the fortunes of both her Misl and her only child, Mehtab Kaur, she proposes an alliance between Ranjit Singh and her daughter.
A squabble over plunder realized from an attack on the kingdom of Jammu creates a rupture between Maha Singh Shukerchakia and his mentor Jai Singh, the Kanhaiya patriarch. After Jai Singh insults his protégé and threatens him, Maha Singh conspires with Raja Sansar Chand and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia against the Kanhaiyas. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Baghel Singh and other Sikh chiefs launch raids across the Yamuna River, almost to the borders of Awadh, which is under British protection. This brings them to the attention of Madhaji Scindia, who sees them as a threat to Delhi and considers forming an alliance with them. After the raid, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia returns to the Punjab and joining hands with Maha Singh and Raja Sansar Chand attacks the Kanhaiyas. The brave son of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, Gurbaksh Singh is killed in battle and his wife, Sada Kaur moves center stage, picking up the reins of the Kanhaiya Misl from her ageing father in law, who is devastated.
The story opens in the year 1774, when the mighty Mughal Empire, which had ruled the Indian subcontinent has crumbled, leaving the Punjab in chaos. Ahmad Shah Abdali the ruler of Afghanistan and the scourge of the Sikhs, who had wrested the Punjab from the Mughals has also passed away recently. The Sikhs, who are organized into twelve bands, known as The Misls, have stepped into the power vacuum and have become the de facto rulers of the Punjab. The young chief, Maha Singh Shukerchakia is mentored by Sardar Jai Singh, the patriarch of the powerful Kanhaiya Misl who arranges his marriage with Raj Kaur, daughter of Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind. Maha Singh becomes a powerful chief whose Misl starts to rise as the power of the mighty Bhangi Misl declines. There is great rejoicing when a son is born to Raj Kaur and Maha Singh. The boy is named Ranjit Singh.
With the passing of Ahmad Shah Abdali and the utter collapse of the Mughal Empire, the Sikhs see unbounded opportunities to consolidate their power. New threats appear on the horizon as the Marathas rise again and the British East India Company turns its eyes towards Delhi.
Ahmad Shah Abdali returns to the Punjab, this time determined to destroy the Sikhs. Thousands are killed in the Wadda Ghallughara or the great holocaust, but the Sikhs, unbowed, stand up to him and end up the de-facto rulers of their homeland, the Punjab.
Ahmed Shah Abdali invades Hindustan again and decimates the tottering Mughal Empire. The Afghans occupy Lahore and desecrate the Golden Temple. Baba Deep Singh falls while battling the Afghans in Amritsar. The Marathas enter Punjab and try to reassert Mughal control over the province. Ahmad Shah Abdali returns and breaks the back of Maratha power in a great battle fought at Panipat.
Mir Mannu, who takes command of Lahore, views the Sikhs as a threat. Ahmed Shah Abdali, returns to avenge his defeat. The Sikhs start growing in power as the Punjab stays turbulent
Bhai Taru Singh is tortured and put to death by Zakriya Khan. Thousands of Sikhs are slain by his deputy Lakhpat Rai. A new king, who will cast a long shadow on the homeland of the Sikhs, rises in the west.
A new threat approaches from the West, which threatens the Mughal Empire and creates an opportunity for the Sikhs.
The respite for the Sikhs is very brief. Once again Nawab Zakriya Khan unleashes a reign of terror and new heroes rise in the face of terrible oppression.
Nawab Zakriya Khan of Lahore decides to extend an olive branch to the Sikhs. An emissary is sent with a title and land and the Sikhs get their own Nawab.
Banda Singh Bahadur’s rebellion is over and Lahore is the hands of an oppressive ruler intent on destroying the Sikhs. It is a time when men who can ride, lead and wield a sword might make a reputation for themselves.
The might of the Mughal Empire descends on the Sikhs and a fierce battle is fought at Lohgarh. Banda Bahadur manages to escape but is besieged by powerful Mughal commanders at Gurdas Nangal, where he fights his last battle.
Guru Gobind Singh’s chosen deputy, the former sorcerer Banda Singh Bahadur has managed to amass an army, He is ready to bring Nawab Wazir Khan, who mercilessly murdered the Guru’s younger sons to justice.
Guru Gobind Singh, traveling South, meets a powerful sorcerer on the banks of the Godavari. The sorcerer, transformed by the encounter, becomes a beloved disciple of the Guru's and is given a mission.
NIGHT OF THE RESTLESS SPIRITS is a collection of heart-rending short stories that attempt to capture the 1984 massacre in all its complexity and contradictions. Sarbpreet Singh’s stories take the reader on a journey fraught with love and tinged with tragedy, frayed relationships, the breaking down of humanity and resilience in the face of absolute despair, blurring the lines between the personal and political. Published by Penguin
A translation and four fabulous renditions of the Savaiyya, Jagat Jot Jape Nis Basur, which is a succinct and elegant definition of the Khalsa
Rogan Te Ar Sogan Te Jal Jogan Te Bahu Bhant Bachavat - A soulful quatrain of praise in Raga Malkauns
Bhagat Kabir 's beautiful relationship with God. Tweet your favorite shabad @sarbpreetsingh to be included in future episodes
The sanctuary of the Guru's word in a time of fear and anxiety. Tweet your favorite shabad @sarbpreetsingh to be featured on a subsequent episode.
In a time treachery and deceit Guru Gobind Singh leads his Sikhs and his family out of the fortified city of Anandpur, where disaster strikes.
Guru Gobind Singh completes his divine mission by creating the Khalsa. At a gathering in Anandpur on the momentous Vaisakhi of 1699 the vision of Guru Nanak is fully realized as Guru Gobind Singh puts a final seal on the egalitarian faith that was created by the first Guru.
An extended version of Episode 18 The Dasam Granth. It has complete recordings of all the shabads referenced and is a feast for lovers of Gurmat Sangeet (Sikh Sacred Music)
The Dasam Granth, the book of the tenth master is completed. In addition to the devotional writings of Guru Gobind Singh, it contains translations of heroic Hindu epics from Sanskrit to Braj, designed to inspire a population beaten down by centuries of oppression.
Guru Gobind Rai sets up a magnificent court that is the catalyst of a renaissance in poetry, music and scholarship. He himself composes sublime poetry and his court is studded with accomplished poets, musicians and scholars.
The young Guru Gobind Rai reflects upon the martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur. The lad prepares himself to meet his destiny and realize the grand vision of Guru Nanak. He is tested by powerful kings who surround him, driven to jealousy by his increasing power and fame.
Tegh Bahadur, the youngest son of the late Guru Hargobind, is anointed the ninth Guru of the Sikhs in the face of competing claims by multiple pretenders to the throne of Guru Nanak. The Guru boldly confronts the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who has been forcing his non-Muslim subjects to convert to Islam on the pain of death.
Gur Hargobind names his young grandson, Har Rai successor, but his oldest grandson Dhir Mal rebels against him. The Guru’s family is once roiled by dissent and treachery. The seventh Guru, Har Rai attracts the attention of the Mughal court and sends his son Ram Rai there as his representative, only to be disappointed by his perfidy. His younger son, Harkrishan succeeds him, but dies young, enigmatically signaling his successor’s whereabouts on his death bed.
The Guru nurtures a young Pathan named Painde Khan, a formidable warrior who becomes one of his favorites. There is a sharp confrontation between the Sikhs and the entourage of the Emperor Shah Jahan, when the Sikhs seize a magnificent hawk belonging to the Emperor. The Guru makes a rousing declaration of sovereignty, which leads to the first armed confrontation between the Sikhs and the Mughals. A disaffected Painde Khan switches sides.
The Guru returns to Amritsar after his exile in Gwalior and his family grows and flourishes. One of his young sons, Atal Rai, learns a difficult lesson about deference to the will of the divine.
Hargobind, the young son of the late Guru Arjan ascends to the throne of Guru Nanak. His Sikhs are startled when he sets the traditional appurtenances of his station aside and dons twin swords. He creates the Akal Bunga which will go on to become an enduring symbol of Sikh sovereignty. The Guru is imprisoned by the Emperor Jahangir in Gwalior fort, from where he triumphantly emerges after freeing 52 kings, also held captive by the emperor.
The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia is writer/narrator Sarbpreet Singh's new book about the court of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. This episode is about the book and his recent tour of India.
A musical feast that examines the singing of Raga Basant and other melodies of the spring in the Sikh Sacred Music tradition.
During the holy month of Ramadan a group of Muslims embody the values of the Sikh faith with a breathtaking act of solidarity and compassion.
Our very distinctive title music is an excerpt from a shabad or hymn, sung by the Bhai Avtar Singh, one of the most distinguished Sikh Ragis or minstrels of modern times. In this bonus episode of The Story of the Sikhs Sarbpreet Singh reminisces about the legend who touched so many hearts through his beautiful music and the extraordinary warmth of his personality.
From the tragic martyrdom of Guru Arjan rises a great institution that will forever define the character of Sikhs and Sikhism. The poignant story of Guru Arjan and his beloved disciple the Sufi saint Miyan Mir.
Guru Arjan, in his crowning achievement, creates the Guru Granth Sahib, the egalitarian scripture of the Sikhs, with contributions from the Sikh Gurus as well as enlightened souls from other faiths. Prithi Chand tries to convince the Emperor Akbar that Guru Arjan’s new scripture is blasphemous and disrespectful of Islam and Hinduism.
Guru Arjan establishes the Har Mandar Sahib, popularly known as The Golden Temple, which will become the most prominent place of worship for the Sikh faith and a symbol of its endurance. The Guru’s wife, Mata Ganga, distraught at being childless is sent to seek the blessing of Bhai Buddha, a venerable old Sikh, who has served the faith from the time of Guru Nanak.
Guru Ramdas establishes Ramdaspur, which will go on to become Amritsar, the greatest center of the Sikh faith. Guru Ramdas is plagued by the ill-will that his oldest son, Prithi Chand harbors towards Arjan, his youngest. Because of his faithfulness and devotion, Arjan is exalted to succeed his father as Guru, much to his older brother’s chagrin.
Guru Amardas receives the Mughal Emperor Akbar who humbly seeks his blessings. Finding his son-in-law, Ramdas to be loyal, humble and worthy, Guru Amardas decides to anoint him as the next Guru. Pleased with the devotion of his daughter, Bibi Bhani, Guru Amardas makes a prophecy which will have far reaching consequences for the faith.
Guru Angad nurtures the faith that his late master entrusted him with, giving the gift of music to his followers and creating a new script for the preservation of the sacred writings of the Sikhs. In the tradition of Guru Nanak, he chooses Amardas, his humblest and most faithful disciple to succeed him as the next Guru, bypassing his own sons.
Guru Nanak settles down in Kartarpur, initiating a period of institutional development that will last for almost two centuries. The task of giving shape to a new world religion has begun. As the time approaches for Guru Nanak to depart, he anoints one of his beloved followers, Angad as the next Guru, ensuring that the fledgling faith he has created will survive and thrive.
Nanak travels to the far reaches of the Eastern Himalayas, where he is hailed as Nanak Rimpoche, an emanation of the Buddhist sage Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Sikkim. After his return to his homeland, he dons the garb of a Muslim pilgrim and sets out on the ancient Indo-Egyptian trade route to journey to Mecca. This will be his last great journey and on his return he will establish the town of Kartarpur.
With his faithful companion, Mardana the minstrel in tow, Nanak sets out on a series of journeys that will last for decades and will bring him to wondrous places as he develops bold new ideas and creates the institutions which will ensure their propagation and survival. Nanak fearlessly confronts superstition and ritualism as he travels to the storied places of worship of his time.
As Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty overruns northern India, he encounters a holy man who fearlessly confronts him and chides him for his cruelty. The name of the holy man is Guru Nanak, who is on the path to establishing a new world religion, Sikhism. The story shifts to the childhood of young Nanak, a precocious lad of spiritual bent who fearlessly challenges inequality and superstition. As a young man Nanak lays the foundation of an important institution that will go on to define the faith he is to create. Nanak has a spiritual epiphany that gives him a sense of mission and inspires him to set forth on a journey that is the start of a social revolution.