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<p class="C1">&#65279<i>SIKHER BAL&#298AD&#256N</i>, by Kumudin Mitra, first published in 1904, is a small tract, in Bengali language, of forty-one pages, dealing with the heroic sacrifices of seven Sikh martyrs. Perhaps inspired by R&#257bindran&#257th Tagore's poems on Band&#257 Si&#7749gh Bah&#257dur and Bh&#257&#299 T&#257r&#363 Si&#7749gh, she introduced five more martyrs to the Bengali readership. These five included Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's younger sons, Fateh Si&#7749gh and Zor&#257war Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299 Man&#299 Si&#7749gh, Haq&#299qat R&#257i and Subeg Si&#7749gh. Preceding them all was the martyrdom of Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, the ninth spiritual mentor of the Sikhs. Published on the eve of the anti-Partition agitations in Bengal, the tract fell into receptive hands resulting in a rapid sale of three successive editions. It was translated into a few regional languages as well. The author added an introductory note to the fourth edition explaining the birth of Sikhism in the Punjab as a movement of social protest. The style of writing is simple and clear and the presentation of historical facts logical and systematic.</p>
</ol><p class="CONT">Him&#257dr&#299 Banerjee<br></p><BR>
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