Khushwant Singh is easily the most widely read author in India today. He has done different things at different times: practiced law, diplomacy and politics, taught comparative religion at Princeton and Swarthmore, and edited the Illustrated Weekly of India and The Hindustan Times. He has also edited and translated a number of literary works. His acerbic pen, his wit and humour, and, most of all, his ability to laugh at himself, have ensured him immense popularity over the years. He was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986. Among other honours, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 by the president of India (he returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the Union government's siege of the Golden Temple, Amritsar). He lives in New Delhi.
In this compact but informative book, the author presents a concise history of the followers of one of the world's newest religions Sikhism. Beginning with the life and times of the founder, the highly revered Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the contents move on to describe the vital contribution made by the following nine gurus in shaping and developing the Sikh religion. The significance of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and its centrality to the religion are emphasized. The author discusses epoch making developments such as the setting up of Singh Sabha and the accompanying social reform, the decisive Akali agitation for control of various Sikh shrines and the impact of the Ghadr rebellion.
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