Two new books look into Guru Gobind Singh’s life & vision, and visit to Raikot

Spanning 210 pages in English, the book defies traditional biography formats. Author Harinder Singh draws on the Guru’s luminous compositions like ‘Saba’s Hajare’ and voices from Guru Gobind Singh’s court poets — Bhai Nand Lal Goya and Chandra Sain Sainapati — to reveal a sovereign who championed love, a caste-free society and revolutionary poetry. “This is an invitation to feel, reflect, and imagine anew,” the author says, emphasising that the Guru’s words birthed a transformative movement.

“Paired with evocative artwork and calligraphy, the narrative transcends religion or nation, speaking to seekers of meaning, courage, and clarity amid today’s social fractures. Book portrays Guru’s sovereignty as radiating through wisdom and oneness, urging readers to co-create a just future,” said Harinder Singh, co-founder of the Sikh RI and Panjab Digital Library.

Singh brings his expertise as a Senior Fellow, leading projects like the Guru Granth Sahib Project and the State of the Panth reports. A prolific speaker at universities and forums worldwide, he shapes Sikh scholarship through research and public engagement.

‘Dasmesh-Pita Bakhshish Pavitar Ganga Sagar’

Another book, “Dasmesh-Pita Bakhshish Pavitar Ganga Sagar” in Punjabi, seeks to unearth a personal gift from Guru Gobind Singh to Muslim Nawab Rai Kallah of Raikot, which was released on January 2 at Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib, Raikot (Ludhiana district), with SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami offering it to the readers.

Ancient accounts describe Guru’s visit to Raikot, while leaving behind Anandpur Sahib after the attack of hill kings and the Mughal army. He was so pleased with Rai Kallah’s selfless service that he bestowed upon him three items: the Ganga Sagar (a sacred vessel), a wooden rehla (saddle), and a kirpan (dagger). While the rehla decayed naturally due to lack of preservatives in the 18-19th centuries, and the kirpan was seized by the British authorities from the Rai family, the Ganga Sagar endured, as it was safeguarded by the Rai lineage through turbulent times: wars, partitions and migrations.

The author, Dr Gurdev Singh Sidhu, said, “The Partition disrupted traditions, including an annual procession at Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib in Raikot, where devotees would visit the Rai haveli for darshan of the relic before returning. As the Rai family migrated to Pakistan, this Sikh world connection faded.”

He said, “Rai Aziz-ulla-Khan, the current head of the Rai family, is now based in Surrey, Canada. Driven by a lifelong passion for the Guru’s Raikot sakhi, he has meticulously collected references from sources like Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib pamphlets to Prof Piara Singh Padam’s edited Guru Kian Sakhiaan.”

In 1994, responding to an invitation from the UK Sikh community, he brought the Ganga Sagar to England, sparking global interest. Sikhs worldwide clamoured for darshan, and the Rai family fulfilled their wishes with joy, travelling across countries to share this link to the Tenth Master.

“Khan shared his vision with his Ludhiana-based friend Prof Gurbhajan Singh Gill during the summer of 2024 in Surrey. Gill gave my reference to him to compile the material into a book, adding related sources. Now it has resulted in Dasmesh-Pita Bakhshish Pavitar Ganga Sagar (The Sacred Ganga Sagar Bestowed by the Tenth Father), structured in three parts,” said Sidhu.

The first part details Sakhi’s accounts of the bestowal, newspaper clippings, and Rai Aziz-ulla’s personal reflections. It includes ancient and modern narratives, comparative analyses, excerpts from Niranjan Singh Sathi’s Charn Chalo Maarg Gobind serialised in Ajit newspaper, and Rai Khan’s emotional insights. The second covers the Rai dynasty’s history as recipients of Guru Gobind Singh’s grace.