The Great Glory Sikhism - Text  by Sandeep Goswami - Photographs by Malkiat Singh

The Great Glory Sikhism - Text  by Sandeep Goswami - Photographs by Malkiat Singh –  Book Great Glory of Sikhism – Illustrated Book on Glorious Sikh Past – Book with Pictures on History of Sikh Past 

Introduction To The Book 'The Great Glory Sikhism' By Text  by Sandeep Goswami'

SIKHISM, the youngest of the religious faiths in the world today, is as much about a search for true divinity as it is about living a socially, morally and spiritually pure life. This book is an ode in prose to the glorious faith that is more secular and universal in its founding, evolution and practice than any other. To see Sikhism without knowing its history is akin to preceiving the tree without being aware of its roots. It begins in the times of its founding master, Guru Nanak Dev, who preached about equality, the universality of the human race and the path to divinity in a lexicon that could be grasped and adhered to by the common populace. His successors further embellished and argumented his guiding principals. The tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh ended the line of successive gurus by declaring the Guru Granth Sahib as the Guru incarnate after his demise. The Word or 'Shabad' would contain and reveal the truth thereon. This book is about the Sikhs we see  and meet everyday. The followers of this unique religion whose faith is rooted in the wisdom and knowledge contained in its holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. It is also about their culture, traditions and rituals that structure their lives and of their tales of sacrifice, heroes and legends that enrich the distinguished and vibrant history of the community. It chronicles the zealous, effervescent and ever-say-die spirit that exemplifies the virtues of a typical Sikh. And it also reveals the genteel humility that so paradoxically exists alongside righteous aggression in the Sikh character. This book is about the glory of an amazing religion, its magnificent people and  their inspiring way of life that holds a lesson in every nuance and intricacy of its profound ideals for the other faiths populating the world, to absorb and follow.

Preface To Book 'The Great Glory Sikhism' By Text  by Sandeep Goswami'

Of all the principal religious faiths in the world today, Sikhism is the youngest. Literally the 'path of discipleship' , it seeks the Truth behind all creation and guides its believers on their path of moral, social and spiritual conduct. The Sikhs, believers of this faith, are the eternal disciples: eager, humble and pure, ever willing to do their guru's biding,with a conviction that remains uncontaminated by doubts or dilemmas. This book is about the Sikhs we see every day in our lives. The nondescript, the seemingly inconsequential, the famous and the powerful. Their turbans and beards make them conspicuous and yet, what distinguishes them best from the prevalent, elevates them above the mundane, is their faith.

To put things in perspective and truly understand this glorious community, this book goes right back to the origin, to the times when their first Master,Guru Nanak Dev,described a path to divinity and godliness that any commoner could grasp, identify with, and follow. His successors, till Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, led by example and inspired their followers by their lives, in thought, conduct and action. The Guru Granth Sahib,  the holy scripture of the Sikhs, carries within its consecrated pages, the route to truth and salvation. And as ordained by Guru Gobind Singh, the holy book is the soul of the faith, its guiding light as he and all his predecessors had been.

Their udying optimism, an unquestioning belief in their Wahe Guru and the never-say-die spirit helped them endure decades of oppression and brutality at the hands of the ruling Mughals and the invading Afghans. They not just survived their 'Dark Age' but flourished in spite of it. Adversity's progeny, the innumerable heroes and heroines who populate their legends, those who sacrificed their lives to nourish and sustain the faith, remain ever alive in the psyche of every Sikh. And not one of them as let those sacrifices go in vain. The traditions, culture and structure of Sikhism have survived the vagaries of time and a society in flux. Even those living in distant countries, far from their homeland, the 'Land of Five Rivers' (Punjab), maintain their distinctive identity and ethos, preserving against all odds.

In any reference to the cultural richness of India, the Sikhs have contributed a big measure of the vividness and vibrancy that is so indelible a part of Indianness. Their boundless enthusiasm for leading a full life has given us the feisty Bhangra danced to the embroidery that blends skill, patience and colour to produce enchantment with thread and the hearty joviality to temperament that scythes through the worst of depressions.

Sikhism has given this land many of its great sons. As chiefs of the armed forces, leaders of industry and business, scholars and intellectuals par excellence, eminent sports persons and brilliant artists, the Sikhs have done the nation proud. And have given back to their beloved homeland, far more in measure than they have received.

As fierce warriors, devout pilgrims and humble servants of their faith, the Sikhs are a many faceted people. Their turbans and untrimmed hair make them conspicuous. But they rise head shoulders above all by their enterprising nature and high spirits. The Nihangs at Hola Mohalla celebrate the eternal victory of good over evil. The kar sewaks cleaning the holy sarovar symbolise faith and reverence at the very summit of devotion. And the pilgrim to Hemkunt Sahib ascends on wings of faith, gaining strength from  his devotion and totally surrendering his soul into His hands. Sikhism is not a  mere covenant of faith, it is a state of mind. And above all, its a path that leads to absolute  inner peace.