From the northern reaches of Indus to the Khyber Pass in Pakistan, I have traced the existence of 27 forts that the Sikh Army had built in the early 19th century. Hari Singh Nalwa, the western commander of the Sikh Army had engaged in tough battles against Paindah Khan, the...
To support my quest for the field research of my sequel book for which I travelled deep across the north-west frontier region to explore the abundance of the vestiges of the Sikh legacy, I owe immense gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for embracing my madness! On the second day...
Travelling in a remote region of Pakistan to research on the abandoned vestiges of the Sikh legacy, I spotted a roadside vendor selling samosas. Due to hunger pangs, I decided to take a break. Savouring the samosas, I could not help but reflect that its triangular shape with wide upper...
Our entry in Jaisak village in Pakistan was slowed down by a stream of donkey carts passing in the opposite direction. At a distance, I could see the moss-covered dome of the Kair Bawa Gurdwara. A man riding a donkey cart shouted, “As-salamu alaykum, Sardar Ji,” and brought himself to...
Nanak dived into the Bein River and emerged three days later with Japuji, the spiritual verses which were his first gift to the world. Symbolically, being lost in the river was his surrender to the Supreme, implying one must give up himself to merge! As long as I exists, HE...
At Murree hill station in Pakistan, after dinner, strolling through the by-lanes, I came across the ‘Butt Snooker Club’. Curiously, I stepped inside to experience the British legacy of Snooker game in modern Pakistan. In a large, dimly lit hall, some boys were playing a game of snooker. Excited to...
At Nowshera in Pakistan, during a battle against the Durranis in 1823, the Sikhs lost two of their brave Generals, Akali Phoola Singh who was leading the Nihang battalion and Balbhadra Kunwar who was leading the Gurkha battalion. Walking past the remains of the battle memorial, I made it a...
At Jhelum city in Pakistan, I was wonderstruck by the sight of a large unkempt yellow-coloured building, on which a board read, ‘CIA Staff’, indicating that it presently serves as an interrogation Centre for the intelligence department. This premises was once the Bhai Karam Singh Gurdwara, built in memory of...
Every year, as flags unfurl to celebrate the birth of India and Pakistan, I reflect on my personal teary moments while visiting the scores of abandoned assets across Pakistan during the research on Sikh legacy. Only after 10 million were made homeless and 1 million left dead, in August 1947,...
Within the walled city of Lahore (Pakistan) exists a lathe market near Masti Gate, wherein once existed a gurdwara to mark the site where Bhai Mani Singh was martyred in 1737 AD by the Mughal administration by severing every joint from his body. After the partition of 1947, the gurdwara...
