Customer Reviews

Fighting for Faith and Nation: Dialogues with Sikh Militants (Series in Contemporary Ethnography)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

C. K. Mahmood has, in her book, given us a glimpse of the real world of expatriate khalistani militants, heretofore distorted by Indian Govt./press propaganda. Her book is based on extensive interviews she undertook with different people who were involved in the movement at one time or another. The style of presenting the material reminds us of Shakespearean plays where, after the characters play out their parts there are asides to give the audiences the context. Not only has she brought out the travails of the militants but also her own uneasy position as a practicing anthropologist who, on the one hand, has to keep her distance to be objective, and on the other, has to show empathy to really understand the motivations of the militants. While her subjects are going through dilemmas of their own she has her own sets to confront with.

She has presented the interviews verbatim as they were recorded and has given her own analysis after the interview. This gives her work some objectivity as people can then agree or disagree with her interpretation/analysis. She also develops the background of the movement with a brief introduction to the Sikh religion. She goes on to give background material about the Damdami Taksal, the genesis of Bhindrawale. It is interesting to note the different motivations of the militants. One was a very religious person, in common parlance he could be referred to as a religious fanatic. Another was a champion of Punjabiyat. By far all were deeply religious and derived their strength from their common history and heritage. One cannot feel but a little disturbed while reading some of the interviews as we can see the workings of communalism and the ghosts of the 1947 blood bath rear their head. The state comes out looking as very repressive and inefficient. Once a friend told me that the reason the police uses torture is that they are very inefficient in information gathering and hence resort to the most primitive means i.e. torture. Another point coming out was that most militants were in it as a reaction to state repression. But very few had a clear idea what objective they were fighting for, while they knew what they were fighting against.

Along with the glimpse into the Khalistani militant community, she also gives us a glimpse into the rarefied ivory towers of academia. This happens in the last three or four chapters, which I found very interesting. As she contends, the study of anthropology was, in the past, heavily influenced by European colonialism. As a result anthropology was interested in "constructing" group identities. A clear example is the British's classification of Sikhs and others as "martial races". With the demise of the old colonialism, anthropology broke free of that yoke, and with the creation of the liberal nation state in the west, was more interested now in deconstructing group identities. This was completely at odds with the various nationalist/resistance movements in the third worlds which rallied around these very group identities that were being deconstructed. It is in this context that Harjot Oberoi's theses about the identity of the Sikhs has been met with passionate opposition from orthodox Sikhs. As she states that the Indian Liberal state imposes oppression by denying these identities. As a reaction the orthodox and militant Sikhs reinforce that identity. But when a Harjot Oberoi comes out with a theses that totally neglects the political dynamics that this identity is entwined with, he runs into trouble. She makes a case for a different kind of anthropology which is more "human". According to her, a more "humane" approach can help in resolving some of these conflicts rather than demonizing that each side indulges in.

When Cynthia Keppley Mahmood narrated some of her experiences with the Sikh Militant during the fieldwork to one of her students, he remarked, "These people are magnificent." After reading the book, many readers may feel the same way while others may disagree depending on which side of the fence they stand - victim of terrorism or victim of injustice that leads to terrorism.

Although Mahmood makes it very clear in no uncertain terms about her disagreement in regards to the route the Sikh militants have taken up to seek justice, she still manages to bring together a very unbiased and objective account. This book sheds light on the history and politics behind what led to the disaster of 1984 in India. And then the aftermath is recounted by the eye witnesses and victims now settled in the US.

Inder Malhotra, one of the most distinguished journalists of that time, compared Sant J.S. Bhindrawale to Khoemini and Frankenstien but this first hand accounts of people who grew up with, lived with, and fought with Bhindrewale show a different picture. After reading this book, it is up to the reader to decide which account to believe.

Finally, a version that tells the story on behalf of the militants, their justifications, and their ideology. The first hand accounts of people who were directly involved and affected during the Blue Star operation are extremely moving and shows the image in different light than what one has seen before. The bravery of Sikh men, women and even children is amazing. The illustrations, some provided by the international documentation of human rights violation in India, are tremendously moving.

This is a read that will take a while due to its poignant nature, but worth the time to understand the depth and dimensions of this problem

By far one of the best books I have ever read. This book is not for just Khalistanis, but for everyone who wants to know the truth. It is written by a non sikh and a non indian for that matter giving it a bi partisian view of the punjab situation past and present. It is a well written and easy to read book.

At times this book was so intense that I had to put it down so I would not over flow with emotion. This is not for the weak of heart, there are eye witness stories of militants and survivors of tragdey.

I have read other books on the punjab crisis but non come close to the one on one interviews that Cynthia has given. These stories will grip your heart and turn it around. Stories of brave Sikhs IN OUR TIME! Many times people think that the days of Baba Deep Singh are gone, but after reading this book you will know there are countless of those kinds of Sikhs, who are upholding what Sikhi really is, while we live in luxury and just proclaim our selves as sikhs with high heads. There heads pay for our heads tanding tall today.

We have been humiliated by the Government of India, and the only reason that we can even walk with our respect today is because of what the freedom fighters in punjab did for us.

Many times you will see non-sikhs wearing a kara, I once asked one of my south indian friends, why do you wear a kara, and his response was, this is the sign of bravery. What bravery? today we wear a kara and proclaim to be brave, and this comes from the lives others have given.

So many people dont know the truth, and even some of our own sikhs choose not to know the truth because they are fearful that it might make them uncomfortable in there 'comfortable' life styles. How can we live easily while the rest of our people suffer? This makes people take the easy way out, and decide, its better if i dont know, then to be made to feel guilty.

I think i have gone off on a different direction, but back to the book. If you know english, and are someone who proclaims to be a sikh, then you owe it to those people who died, to at least READ about them, and what they went threw.

They have given their today, so that Sikh Panth could have a prosperous future.

Put down the TV Remote and pick up this book.

For the sake of humanity READ THIS BOOK...

Please join our group: Khalistan@egroups.com or email me at Khalistanee@hotmail.com

The mission of the group is to inform people about Sikhs Struggle for Khalistan, and Injustice done to Sikhs and other minorities by INDIAN Govt.

Growing up as a Sikh in America I was far removed from the atrocities perpetrated on the Sikh community in India. I distinctly remember as a child watching my parents and family desperately calling India to relatives to ensure their safety. Then in 1994 on my first visit (after 13 years), I discussed the topic of the November 1984 riots with some of my relatives. I found their accounts to just as harrowing. What I found more disturbing was the censorship of the issue there. No books were written or at least could be obtained in India. To my surprise I came across this book one day on Amazon and decided to get it. I found the book to be intelligent, meticulously researched, and above all engrossing. Although I am far from an extremist I can understand the extreme position of the these "freedom fighters" Cynthia Manmood presents interviews dispersed with her opinions many of which her subjects, I'm sure would disagree with. Recommended book for anyone interested in current Indian history as well as Sikh history.

I highly commend the hard work and courage it took Ms. Mahmood to dialogue with human beings whose way of thinking and being is so foreign to most westeners offering a glimpse into their world in their own words and not in judgement of them (though not in agreement either). If more dialogue like this occured, the way would be paved for better understanding and bridgemaking rather than bridgebreaking as is the common approach when politicians deal with so-called 'terrorist groups'.Dialogue and the groundwork that promotes understanding, humanisation and the promotion of dignity are the tools of peace in our global village.Thank you for taking the risk where others would not.

I loved this book. It was very powerful. This book had a very unbyast opinion. I hope you read it. It has changed my thoughts on the Sikh problems.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in
the Sikhs' fight for an independent homeland, the
spirit of the Sikhs and the oppression and human
rights abuses by the state in India. Coming from a
respected anthropologist and ethnographer, this book
is a damning indictment of the state and documents the
details of human rights abuses of the Sikhs which have so far
been successfully suppressed by the government of India.

It is one of a handful of respectable books on the recent history of
the Indian Punjab and exposes the genocide of Sikhs in India.

My recent interest in Sikhism led me to Mahmood's book, which has given me a much better understanding of the tragedy at the Golden Temple in 1984 (including circumstances leading up to, and following, the violence there).

More importantly, it has reinforced my belief that uncovering the truth of the very human circumstances that lead to such violence can help us build bridges of understanding and hope for preventing such tragedies in the future. It is too easy to simply brand one's enemy as a terrorist, religious fanatic, or political extremist--but we must exert a bit more effort to see past such overly-simplistic labels--to see that our enemies are complex humans like ourselves, with many of the same hopes, values, concerns, fears, strengths and weaknesses.

Jesus called upon us to love our enemies, and this book, in my opinion, begins to uncover some of the difficulties and revelations one might encounter in such a pursuit. As with most worthwhile pursuits in life, such attempts at uncovering the truth beneath both sides of an issue can be a complex, difficult, even dangerous paths to tread, but ones that we must traverse if we truly seek peaceful resolution of conflicts between people, countries, religions and cultures now and in the future.

Mahmood treads this difficult path to uncover the human side of the Sikh militants, and in my opinion, succeeds admirably. To be fair, I'd like to read more accounts of the events at Amritsar, to gain a more complete perspective of the thoughts and feelings of all those involved. Because the Indian government apparently made great efforts to conceal the truth behind the events of 1984, it seems finding more books that do as well as Mahmood's at shedding light on the violence may be difficult. Hopefully I'll find more gems like this one. Highly recommended.

This book is the epitome of research and analysis of the punjab/khalistan struggle. It highlights both the positive and negative aspects of the militant khalistani effort and it's future.

THIS BOOK IS NOT ONLY "A BOOK ON SIKH`S HISTORY". THIS IS A MASTER PIECE WHICH IS CREATED BY DR.CYNTHIA MAHMOOD IN A EXCELANT PROFESSIONAL WAY.