ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SIKH GUR&#362 O SIKH</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279<i>SIKH GUR&#362 O SIKH J&#256Tl</i>, by Sarat Kum&#257r Roy, is a brief history in Be&#7749gali of the Sikhs from the birth of Gur&#363 N&#257nak (1469-1539), founder of the faith, to the fall of the Sikh kingdom in 1849. The book was first published in 1909, and reprinted in 1921. The author, Sarat Kum&#257r Roy (1878-1935), was teacher at Tagore's Brahmachary&#257shram at &#346&#257nt&#299niketan and wrote the book primarily for students, depending for information on authorities such as General Gordon, Major Court, Sir Lepel Griffin, J.D. Cunningham and M.A. Macauliffe, besides articles published in some Be&#7749gali journals of his time.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The book, comprising 19 chapters, begins with a description of the political and social milieu into which was born Gur&#363 N&#257nak who, according to the author, preached the message of Hindu Muslim unity. The second chapter is devoted to the development of Sikhism under the succeeding eight Gur&#363s, followed by a chapter on the life of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, the last in the line of Ten Gur&#363s or prophet-teachers. The next two chapters describe the birth of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 and the struggle it waged against religious intolerance and persecution. The author especially notices how among the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 caste differentiations were eliminated and how no distinctions existed of high and low. Referring briefly to events in the 18th century and the rise of Sikh <i>rnisls</i>, the narrative moves on to the career of the Sikh sovereign Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, which is described in considerably greater detail. A chapter deals with the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's relations with the East India Company. The book concludes with an analysis of the factors leading to the commencement of hostilities between the Sikhs and the English, resulting in the annexation of the Punjab by the latter. The introductory note is from the pen of R&#257bindran&#257th Tagore.</p> </ol><p class="CONT">Him&#257dr&#299 Banerjee<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>