Book explores SikhAbdali conflict, and faultlines within
CHANDIGARH:The sunlight yellow cover with a turbaned horse rider jumps at you. The title ‘When Abdali’s Palanquin Trembled: Making of the Sikh Raj’ is striking too. So is the intent of the book: to show the Sikh community its failings in the present against the backdrop of the glorious Misl period when they transformed from roving bands of peasants into a fighting force.
Penned by the brother-sister duo of Ajay Brar and Navjot Kaur, it started off as a graphic novel. “I wanted to bring our history to life for youngsters,” explains Ajay, an engineering and management graduate. Eventually, a book seemed more appropriate, especially when his younger sister Navjot, who holds an MPhil in English, agreed to collaborate. Ajay provided the research, and Navjot the words.
The invasions of Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali are brought to life by an old man, ‘Dadaji’, narrating the tales to grandson Angad, 13. Then there is Gurnam, the software engineer from San Jose, home for a winter break. “Dadaji discusses the present with his nephew Gurnam and the past with Angad,” explains Ajay.
While the story flows on the right hand side, factoids and analysis are placed on the left. “We didn’t want to interrupt the narrative,” explains Navjot. The siblings designed the cover, chose the paper, did the layout, and selected the font before publishing it under their homegrown ‘Quissa Publications’.
Navjot, a communication skills trainer, remembers the day she started it. “It was May 25, 2016,” she laughs, telling you how the first draft was the most difficult. They finalised the book late last year.
Ajay says it was a tightrope walk, given the subject. “We used quotes from Gurbani. I was apprehensive of being misunderstood.” That is probably why they make it clear in the preface that they are ‘Patit’ Sikhs (those with shorn hair). The book explores faultlines. “We’ve pointed out how if the Arya Samajis denigrated the gurus, the Sikh clergy also questioned the Vedas.”
Ajay says the book breaks myths. For one, Sikhs were against ‘kudimars’ (female infanticide): Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, the famous general, was excommunicated when it was found that his wife had killed their daughter. Seen as meat-eaters now, they were against cow slaughter.
At one point, protagonist Dadaji tells Angad how Kaura Mall, the ruler of Multan, was a Sehajdhari Sikh. And how the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s decision to allow only baptised Sikhs to vote isolated many.
Abdali too hasn’t been painted black. Ajay says, “He was compassionate. Clemency was one of his traits though he didn’t show it to the Singhs.” There is conjecturing too. Dadaji wonders if India’s history would have taken a different turn had Marathas joined hands with the Singhs.
It’s not a please-all enterprise. For instance, it raises questions about Master Tara Singh, highly regarded in the community, by citing his conflicting statements.
The book, say the authors, wants to provoke a discussion on ills in the community.
Dadaji believes the community’s preoccupation with losing its identity and the trauma of 1984 is the problem. Ajay says, “We must stem the rot within. We must focus on education, health, and on developing our human capital.”