Acknowledgements

It is difficult to express my gratitude to all those whose illuminating insights, and endurance in the face of my unending demands on their time, made this book possible. I could not have tracked down so many different records—to the extent I was able to—without their help. I am also deeply indebted to friends who offered to read various chapters in manuscript form. Their observations and suggestions helped bring coherence and consistency to the more elusive segments of the book. I owe to them whatever exactitude I have succeeded in bringing to a vast canvas.

My special thanks go to H.L. Agnihotri, Iradj Amini, Jagjit Singh Anand, Gurcharan Singh Attariwala, Rasil Basu, Ajit Battacharjea, Ominder Singh Chowdhary, Lt.-General J.S. Dhillon, Kartar Singh Duggal, Kirsty Dunseath, David Fisher, S.S. Gill, N.S. Kapany, Rajni Kothari, Ashwini Kumar, Fali Nariman, H.S. Phoolka, Lt.-General K.S. Randhawa, Padam Rosha, Jasdev Singh, Pushpindar Singh, Rear-Admiral Satyindra Singh, Lt.-Colonel Thawar Singh, Jivat Thadani, Romila Thapar, and Philippa Vaughan. And even more so to Lt.-General J.S. Dhillon, Rajni Kothari and Ashwini Kumar for so frequently and unstintingly setting aside time to enrich me with their inspiring inputs.

I am no less indebted to the generosity of Jasdev Singh who opened up the splendid picture archives of the Hotel Imperial in New Delhi for me. Nor to Serbjeet Singh, a gifted painter, cartographer, and filmmaker who helped with the maps, which were drawn by the versatile Denys Baker. Susan Stronge was equally magnificent in locating old illustrations.

I found some of the finest translations of passages from the Guru Granth Sahib—rendered with sensitivity and rare clarity—in the following three books: Selections from the Sacred Writings of the Sikhs, edited by Trilochan Singh et al. (George Allen & Unwin, London, 1960; UNESCO Collection of Representative Works—Indian Series); The Heritage of the Sikhs by the late Professor Harbans Singh (Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1964); and Guru Nanak and Origins of the Sikh Faith by Harbans Singh (Panjabi University, Patiala, 1969).

I am particularly grateful to three exceptional women: Sara Stewart and Christine Sutherland for introducing me to John Murray, and Caroline Knox for commissioning the book.

I am also very grateful to Antony Wood for his invaluable editorial advice.

The tenacity of Ram Narayan Singh Rawat, my research assistant, deserves praise not only for brilliantly unearthing material buried long back, but for persuading librarians to let him borrow twice the number of books he was entitled to.

My secretary, Anita Mauji, coped with the pressures of looming deadlines and seemingly endless revisions with confidence and aplomb.

The co-operation and guidance of the staff of Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, the India International Centre Library and the National Archives of India are also gratefully acknowledged.

It goes without saying that the book could never have been written without the unfailing encouragement, help and support of my dear Meher.