Review by: ** Prof. (Dr.) Harpreet Kaur, Principal, Mata Sundri College for Women,
University of Delhi
The hardbound pictorial edition, ‘Life and Legacy of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ is dedicated to the 550th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji celebrated world over with great devotion, spirit and fervour in 2019. The ways in which this great occasion was celebrated were varied and publications and literature was one effective way through which the devotees paid their humble tribute to the great reformer, spiritual leader and saint. Guru Nanak was a great thinker, philosopher and builder who laid the tenets of Sikh faith and gave an institutionalized form to it. Many authors have written books dedicated to the eternal glory of Guru Nanak Dev Ji echoing the cardinal principles that are an integral part of the psyche of the Sikhs since immemorial times. Ineffable discourse, philosophy and stories of the Great Guru are being replicated in various ways so that the people across all age groups are attached to it through an eye of faith, understand the tenets with an eye of rationality and logic and imbibe it with commitment and devotion in their hearts, minds and souls.
Guru Nanak’s all-embracing vision, arduous sojourns, fervent opposition to the outmoded conventions and extensive dialogues at various religious places with many prominent religious leaders belonging to several sects establishing the futility of rituals are cited in this pictorial book in vibrant sketches touching the chords of the hearts of one and all.
The episodes related to the early life of Guru Nanak Dev ji are depicted with appropriate captions exhibiting that His childhood unveiled a divine streak in many occurrences. Child Guru was not an ordinary child and influenced one and all who came in His contact. His teacher was mighty influenced by the thoughts of Guru that were beyond any worldly education and religion. Guru Sahib questioned prevalent futile tradition of wearing Janeu or the sacred thread. Guru Nanak asked the Pandit to tie him a thread that is permanent and does not perish. Such a thread is to be woven with essential values of life like, compassion, commitment, modesty and truth. When Guru Nanak was young, He was much more mature for his age and many episodes of his life provide a testimony to it. When He feel ill and refused to talk to anyone, a physician was called to diagnose his problem and prescribe the medicine. The physician could not diagnose its reason. The Guru made it clear his ailment is the result of the torture of his fellow beings. The Guru said, Vaid bulaia vaidgi pakar dhandhole banh. Bhola vaid na jani karak kaleje mahi (SGGS: Pg. 1279).
The ‘Sacha Sauda’ episode establishes the primacy of fair occupation in one’s life. Guru Nanak had joined the vocation of his father in His early years and as a shopkeeper, fairness in dealings was vital to him. ‘Na Koi Hindu Na Musalmaan’, pronounced by the Guru establishes oneness in society of those times fragmented on the basis of religion and marked by religious bigotry. As against the customs marked by the malice of caste system, Guru Nanak endorsed egalitarianism in words and deeds. Guru Nanak had meal with Bhai Lalo contravening the norms entrenched in the then society dispelling the caste system and echoing that all are born from one God. The painting included in the book wherein Guru Nanak went and stayed with Bhai Lalo rejects all human made boundaries segregating the people in high and low order.
The teachings of Guru Nanak Dev reached the common masses in a simple and effective manner during the Udasis covering almost 3800 kilometres and the adherents of different faiths and orders imbibed it in thought and action. Guru Sahib visited the strongholds of various religious places belonging to Hindu as well as Muslim Faiths and made the people understand the true crux of life.
Mardana, the lifelong companion of the Guru who accompanied him on the Udasis belonged to the low caste and this bond is reflected in the paintings depicted in the book. Sajjan thug was explained the importance of honest labour or Kirat in one’s life. Being true to one’s vocation will not only, be instrumental in having a well-balanced personality and leading a dignified life but also, ensure that people transcend in spiritual affairs. To Sidhas at Sumer Parbat, the Guru explained that True Name is the only refuge for illuminating the minds and one can actually remain detached in the midst of mammon and the picture to this effect is heart-touching.
Cleanliness is Godliness and Guru Nanak implored this during his visits. He was pained to see dirt littered around in a slum. He motivated the people to resort to self-help and after setting ablaze the slums, new dwelling areas with spanking clean surroundings was erected. The emphasis on self-help in cleaning and building an entirely new village is relevant in the world when people generally have the tendency to shun their duties and the painting included in the book motivates one to understand one’s duty is life.
Guru Nanak raised his voice against the atrocious rulers of those times. When He condemned Babur for unleashing terror on the innocent masses, Guru Sahib was put into a jail where He was made to grind grains. The flow of divine Kirtan in the prison made Babur visit the place freeing the imprisoned there for after meeting Guru Nanak, a feeling of remorse was in his heart.
After ameliorating a number of kings, mullas, pandits and common people, Guru Nanak settled on the banks of River Ravi at Kartarpur Sahib where he lived for 18 years implementing the principles that He had preached during his sojourns. The socio-economic maxim, Kirat Karo, Wand Chako and Nam Japo was the base of the community life at Kartarpur. When Guru Sahib left for the heavenly abode, both the communities, Hindus as well as Muslims wanted to perform the last rites of the Guru as per their religious traditions reiterating that the followers of Nanak were from all religions. Nanak Nam Leva endorse his universal teachings till date. The epoch in which Guru Nanak lived was turbulent and we can feel that the present times are no less challenging and so, there is a need to reassert and endorse the human values taught by the First Guru very ardently in the present epoch.
One of the effective means to disseminate these eternal values to the people is through literature and this pictorial publication endorses and preserves our scholastic heritage. This book has two-fold distinctive objectives, firstly, to make the people aware of the glorious past and secondly, make earnest efforts to preserve our literature and heritage for the posterity. Echoing the importance of the Sikh history, the book imparts a moral lesson effortlessly.
The exclusive paintings are provided by the courtesy of Punjab & Sind Bank, V & A Museum and Museums of DSGMC and SGPC from their archives along with various internet sites giving an embellished vision into the life episodes very vividly outlining the facial expressions of the characters as depicted by the painters and the background of the life episode of the Guru.
Paintings are no doubt, the finest of the fine arts. It is one of the most impressive arts that visibly depicts the emotions of the people and the events of an era expressively. This is probably due to the fact that the painters have a rare sense of observation, creativity of imagination necessary for the recapturing of the events, moods and action. There is no shadow of doubt that the artistic representation of history is more scientific and is a deeper pursuit rather than the writing of history. It is believed that the art of letters appeal to heart while the factual reprints describe bare facts. Religion and art are closely related to each other having the same meaningful connotation. Moreover paintings definitely have a profound appeal to the people.
The style of depicting the life episodes of Guru Nanak Dev Ji in pictures was incorporated into literature with as early as the Janam Sakhi tradition. The visual and naturalistic representation in Janam Sakhis brings solace to our hearts and nourishes our soul. The trend of snapshots from rich historical past represented in books make the text contained in it livelier and representative. The visuals artistic expressions in vibrant colours brings radiance into the written text and conveys the meaning and context very distinctively illuminating the accounts. One can delve into history and its narratives come out beautifully and comprehensively in the imageries with a lot of inexplicable things explained. More recently, this phenomenon is becoming more popular especially with the computer technology that has simplified the reproduction of images. Such literature with visuals artistically expressed not only, supplements the text but also, blossoms our hearts and nourishes our souls bringing forth our inner joy. The picturesque paintings are, undoubtedly, a visual treat bringing out graphic description of those times.
S. Makhan Singh has written a number of books and his recent book is continuation of his previous pictorial collection that was widely appreciated. The life and legacy of Guru Nanak has been portrayed in a noteworthy way engrossing the readers in an overwhelming manner. S. Makhan Singh has illustrated historical events and written a brief description, which explains the events to the readers and stimulates them to understand the crux of the message spread by the Gurus. It is, indeed, a marvel that a personality from the corporate world has the ability and vivacity to write such books that is an asset for the community at present and also for the future. I congratulate him for his present volume and pray to Almighty to give him strength and health to write more books for the benefit of the community.
This illustrious pictorial book published by Sikh Foundation is a laudable effort in explicating the historical narratives in a unique and stimulating way. One is transmuted into another world altogether. The eternal message of Guru Nanak is conveyed through the book after a thorough research in an interesting and effective manner.
*Book Review of: Life and Legacy of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Book by: Makhan Singh
Published by: Sikh Foundation, 2019
Printed by: Imprint Solutions
Price: Rs. 990/-