Book Review: The Sikh Heritage: Beyond Borders by Dalvir Pannu

My Connection

Dalvir Pannu is a friend and a well known dentist who runs multi-specialty dental practices in San Jose, Fremont, Cupertino, and Dublin, California. I have something in common with Dalvir, both of our families came from West Punjab and migrated to East Punjab in India after the partition of British India into Republic of India and Islamic Republic of Pakistan. 

Dalvir mailed me a hard copy of his book to review. It took me a long time to accomplish this task but thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, I had some time that I could dedicate to reading his book. Like many generations of Sikhs growing up in India, our ancestral home is now in a foreign country and we have lost connection with our ancestral heritage.

Dalvir's Dad and Grandmother with His book

Background

The emergence of these two nations is built upon an unprecedented ethnic cleansing and mass genocide.  At the time of partition, around 10 million Sikhs and Hindus were living in West Punjab and around 5 million Muslims on the East Punjab who wished to move. It is estimated that around 1.5 Million Punjabis died in that ethnic cleansing and moving process. In human history, it is the largest fratricide where brothers killed brothers just because they followed a different religion. Yes, I used the term, "brothers" as the Punjabi Sikh, Hindu, and Muslims are related by blood. They share a common mother, a common language, culture, food, music, and even the same last names.

The book reveals that, since Indian and Pakistani independence, most Sikhs have migrated to India. In the West Punjab region of Pakistan, over 75% of historical shrines have been lost, and it has been the responsibility of Pakistan government and various Sikh organizations to restore and maintain these abandoned sites.

The Sikh Heritage: Beyond Borders

The Structure of the Book

Through geographical maps, architectural designs, and photographs of shrines, this book shows the depth of beauty found in these historical sites. 

The Sikh Heritage: Beyond Borders dedicates one chapter each to the 84 sites that it documents, transporting readers to the past by narrating the detailed history of each marvel that Dalvir Pannu and his team photographed throughout Pakistan.

This book is the culmination of decade-long fieldwork of finding and exploring the heritage sites, alongside analyzing multiple Janamsakhis (biographical accounts of Guru Nanak's travels). The author's process of doing extensive analysis and cross-referencing with other sources enables readers to comprehend Sikh history, by posing inquiries, applying critical thinking, and investigating hundreds of sources. 

My Favorite Sections

The book is structured in six sections, each devoted to a regions where Sikh population used to reside before partition and remains of Sikh Gurdwaras can be still seen. The author has researched the history of the site and the area around it. He has collaborated with local Pakistani friends to discover the folklore and tried to connect the dots with Sikh chronicles to weave a compelling story. Here are couple of my favorite parts of the book:

Gurdwara Dehra Sahib - Lahore

This historical shrine marks the site of martyrdom of Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru nearthe banks of River Raavi. The author not only provides historical background from Sikh and Mughal chronicles, but also shares incredible pictures of the buildings as well as the precious wall paintings.

Smadh of Guru Arjan - Dehra Sahib, Lahore

"The roof is full of mirror work, The mirror work patterns are beautifully made. On top of the Samadh [cenitaph], the Chandni [awning] of zari, silk, or casmere is alwaya tightened. The stairs that ead to the top of the Smadh are solidly built ... One Adi Granth and anther Granth of Guru Gobind Singh [are] placed, and there are pictures of ten Gurus in the alcoves."

 Gurdwara Sahib Daftuh

A famous story is connected with this Gurdwara located in the Daftuh town of Kasur District. Excerpts from the book by Dalvir Pannu states:

" .... this site dates back to the 18th century and involves Baba Bulleh Shah - the mystic Sufi poet of Kasur. Once, being chased by a large crowd of Muslims [zealots], whom he had somehow offended at his village of Pandoke, Bulley Shah took refuge in the Daftuh Gurdwara. The unruly mob pursuing him, demanded the the Gurdwara management turn him over so they could deal with him. But his Sikh protectors rejoined that Bulleh Shah was always protected in the house of God, after which the mob dispersed."

Ruins of Daftuh Gurdwara, Kasur

Ahlu - Lahore

My Ahluwalia friends would be delighted to read the work done by Dalvir Pannu has done on their ancestral village, Ahlu, The home of Kalals, the traditional wine makers,  Ahlu is located 15 miles from Lahore. The excerpts from this chapter quotes Rattan Singh Bhangu from his encyclopedia, Panth Prakash:

Nawab Kapur Singh initiated Jassa Singh into Khalsa Panth with his own hands, assigning him the duty to feed the horses ... one day the young boy came crying to him saying he could not handle feeding the horses .. and others thrashing him ... Nawab Kapur Singh blessed him and remarked, "The Panth has conferred the title of Nawab on me. I will bestow the future lordship on you." From that moment the boy .. got famed as Jassa Singh Kalal, the sovereign.

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda - Farooqabad

Not the fake Saccha Sauda cult from Sirsa, Haryana, but the original "Sacha Sauda" shrine located in Farooqabad (Chuharkhana) city of District Shekhupura. This was the location of the site where Guru Nanak spent his fathers money in feeding the starving monks. This money was given to him by his father to purchase a merchandise that can be sold for a profit (Sauda). The Guru saw the impoverished monks who did not have clothes to cover their bodies in winter, or to buy food.

Gurdwara Sacha Sauda - Shekhupura

"Gurdwara Sacha Sauda was abandoned in the wake of 1947 partition. The building was renovated and opened for pilgrimage by the Pakistani government in 1993. Currently, the building of Gurdwara sahib is well maintained and surrounded by lush green lawns."

Last Words

The 35 mile journey from Amritsar to Lahore seems impossible to complete due to tension between the two countries. All those whose families migrated to Indian Punjab, yearn to go to our ancestral homes one day and visit the sacred Sikh shrines there. Dalvir Pannu has done incredible service to us all by documenting some of these sites as these building may not survive for too long.

Dalvir S Pannu

I strongly recommend that you buy this book online and share your heritage with your next generations. Its available on Amazon.com in hard copy that should add your roots in your living room.

THE SIKH HERITAGE BEYOND BORDERS
Dalvir S. Pannu
Hardcover $95.00 (416pp)
978-1-73329-370-9
(Clarion Rating: 5 out of 5)