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.

The Story Of The Sikhs

(31) Masters of 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.

(30) Abdali and the Sikhs

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

(29) The Sickle of Mir Mannu

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.

(28) The First Holocaust - Chhota Ghallughara

A new threat approaches from the West, which threatens the Mughal Empire and creates an opportunity for the Sikhs. 

(27) A Tale of Two Emperors

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. 

(26) Martyrdom, Desecration and Punishment

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.

(25)The rise of Nawab Kapur Singh

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.

(24) A murder sparks a rebellion

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. 

(23) The Ashes of the Iron Fort

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.

(22) Cauldron, Sword and Victory

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.

(21) The Guru and the Sorcerer

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

Night of the Restless Spirits - Sarbpreet Singh's new collection of short fiction

A musical feast of shabads in various forms of Raga Malhar

Bonus Episode 16 : Rejoice my heart, this blessed rain

Recitation and English translation of the Jaap Shib (continued)

Bonus Episode 15 : The Jaap Sahib Part 3

Bonus Episode 14 : Sikhs for Black Lives

The power of storytelling meets the colorful history of the Sikh faith

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The Story Of The Sikhs

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