The full beauty and depth of 500 years of Sikh culture is explored in this lavishly illustrated collection of essays on the religion's art and literature. The collection is accompanied by more than 100 black-and-white photos and 24 color plates depicting the finest Sikh art, some of it reproduced for the first time. Sikh culture emerged with the dawn of the modern age in a land that was a thoroughfare of invading armies, ideas, religions, and arts from the East and West. The poetry of scriptures, the illustrated life stores of Guru Nanak, the paintings from various early artistic schools and regions, the dazzling treasures of the Sikh Kingdoms, the romantic artworks of visiting European dignitaries, and the serenity of Sikh sacred architecture all provide doorways to this heroic and revolutionary faith. Journal excerpts, new translations of early twentieth-century poetry, popular poster art, and a depiction of the 1984 storming of the Golden Temple, add depth and originality to this fully accessible volume. Often overlooked, the importance of art, poetry and literature is crucial to our understanding of Sikh religions. Together this collection of remarkable essays and exquisite art illustrates the impact and value of Sikh culture-with its blend of tolerance, egalitarianism and rational mysticism-in the Modern Age.

Contents List of Colour Plates and Illustrations Art Foreword Literature Foreword AcknowledgementsIntroduction, Narinder Singh Kapany, Founding Chair of Sikh Foundation and Kerry Brown, The Sikh FoundationArt1. From Gurus to Kings: Early and Court Painting Gursharan Singh Sidhu, President of The Society for Art and Cultural Heritage for India 2. An Illustrated Life: Guru Nanak in Narrative Art Robert J.Del Bonta, Asian Art Museum 3. The Sikh Treasury: The Sikh Kingdom and the British Raj Susan Stronge, V&A Curator, Museum 4.Golden Temple, Marble Forum: Form and Meaning in Sacred Architecture Henry J.Walker, Bates College, MaineLiterature1. The Unstruck Melody: Mystical Mysticism in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Gobind Singh Mansukhani, former chair of Sikh Studies at Chandigarh University 6. The Western Gateway toSikhism: The Life and Works of M.A.Macauliffe Harbans Lal, trustee of the Academy of Guru Granth Studies 7. Poetry Urges Poetry: From the Guru Granth to Bhai Vir Singh Nikky Guninder Kaur Singh, Colby College 8. Critical Ecstacy: The Modern Poetry of Puran Singh Surjit Singh Dulai, Michigan State University 9. Old Culture, New Knowledge: The Writings of Bhai Mohan Singh Vaid Ardaman Singh, writer, Delhi and Nirvikar Singh, University of California, Santa Cruz 10. A Mirror to Our Faces: The Short Stories of Khushwan Singh Abdul Jabbar, City College of San FranciscoAppendices 1. The Ten Sikh Gurus 2. The Contributors to Sri Guru Granth Sahib 3. The Structure of Sri Guru Granth Sahib 4. Custodians of Sikh Art Recommended Reading Glossary.