Warrior Saints : Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition [Hardcover]

Madra S. Amandeep (Author), Parmjit Singh (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1860644902 | ISBN-13: 978-1860644900 | Publication Date: November 1, 1999 | Edition: First Edition

This remarkable collection of over 120 images commemorates the 300th anniversary of the Sikh Brotherhood. The history of the Sikh prowess in war is documented in photographs covering 150 years, supplemented by early prints and paintings. Quotes from the Sikh Gurus and from allies and foes of the Sikh soldiers, detailed captions, and a brief commentary trace the spiritual and ethical origins of the Sikh call-to-arms, the martyrdoms and conflict of the Mughal period, the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh, the Afghan and Persian invasions, the rise of the Sikh kingdoms and the British Raj, the Anglo-Sikh wars, and the contributions of Sikhs in both World Wars and more recent international conflicts.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Amandeep S. Madra has worked on numerous international Sikh projects and is currently working on a pictorial history of the Sikh diaspora.

Parmjit Singh is an independent researcher specialising in the Sikh military tradition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris; First Edition edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860644902
• ISBN-13: 978-1860644900
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,393,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Images, beautifully designed, wonderfully written, November 30, 1999

By 

Roger Elliot - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warrior Saints : Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition (Hardcover)

This book is a beautiful photographic art book. The 150 or so photographs and paintings are generously reproduced with lots of space and, unlike many photographic books, with very descriptive captions. The story of the Sikh martial traditions is well written but rather brief - although the authors have clearly tried very hard to introduce lots of new material. The most striking part of the written text are the quotes taken from various non Sikhs over the last 500 years or so - commenting on the Sikh military traits.

This book is the product of a new generation of Sikh scholar - and a welcome addition. It should however not be targeted solely to the Asian community- which seems the case with this and many other South Asian books. I would also like to have seen something about the famous Sikh flyers of the RAF and IAF and also more about the role of the Sikh soldier in India's modern Army - the authors seem to brush by the important contribution of Sikhs in India's army too brusquely.

On the whole though - a wonderful piece of work.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Historical Documentation, February 7, 2000

By 

Sat Pavan Khalsa (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warrior Saints : Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition (Hardcover)

I loved this book. It brought tears to my eyes. I loved how it showed the essence of a true warrior saint. The pictures are so beautiful and each one tells a story. My favorite one was the soldiers marching behind the Guru.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterful Account of Sikh Military Tradition, December 21, 2001

By 

Manbir Chowdhary (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Warrior Saints : Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition (Hardcover)

This one should belong in the library of all Sikhs and historians of the Indian Subcontinent.
A beautifully documented and illustrated piece of work.
Madra's incredible effort provides a unique insight as to why the British held the military prowess of the Sikhs in such high-regard.