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Making an iconic tome handy
Reviewed by Roopinder Singh
Concise Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
Ed. Harbans Singh. Abridged. Dharam Singh
Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala.
Pages 723. Rs 1,400.
The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism was
the late Professor Harbans Singh's magnum opus, a project he devoted
two decades of his life to. A suave gentleman, known for his polished
and courtly manner, he earned his Masters in English Literature, from
Khalsa College, Amritsar in 1943. He had a distinguished career. He
taught English, was a principal of Government College, Muktsar. In
1960, he was appointed Member-Secretary of the Punjabi University
Commission and two years later, became the first Registrar of Punjabi
University.
Struggle to balance two cultures
Reviewed by Ajab Boparai
Other Waters
by Eleni N. Gage
Supernova.
Pages 348. Rs 295
Other Waters is a story of
Maya, a born-and-raised American woman with Indian-origin parents. Her
enviable life, a residency in psychiatry, a loving family and a
supportive boyfriend, is shattered when her grandmother dies in India.
Leaving her distressed beyond words, this loss affects Maya and her
family in more ways than one. Her grandmother's long-time maidservant,
Parvati, curses the whole family with ill consequences. This sets in
motion a series of events that are nothing short of tragic. One by
one, each member of the family is affected, leading the modern and
educated Maya to believe that the curse is for real.
‘Despite growth in technology, we are no different from humans a thousand years ago’
Vibha Sharma
All our institutions are based on Western principles. Our economic and political systems are based on Western principles. We have mocked and rejected the traditions of the country that have been around for thousands of years. And we expect such activity to work. It will work in China and Korea, where the central authority is all powerful and ruthless. But it will not work in a democracy where every individual's opinion matters
The fight
for change
Reviewed by Balwinder Kaur
We Create History
by Charandeep Singh
Ferntree
Publishing. Pages 244.
Rs 180.
The havoc and devastation of Ahmed Shah Abdali's repeated pillaging forays are the brutal reality of Arjun's daily life. Toiling hard to eke out a living and obeying the exploitive dictate of Subedar Jahan Khan does not spare his family destruction and devastation and he loses many beloved ones to senseless violence and rampant greed. He can no longer be a passive bystander and must take action no matter what the consequences. Unable to tolerate the atrocities being committed around him both by the sanctimonious custodians of social order and blatantly abusive government officials, Arjun joins a band of rebels fighting for justice.
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