Includes notes on paintings by other artists.

Sikh Art and Literature traverses the 500-year history of a religion that dawned with the modern age in a land that was a thoroughfare of invading armies, ideas and religions and arts of the East and West. Essays by art curators, historians and collectors and religion and literary scholars are illustrated with some of the earliest and finest Sikh paintings. Sikh modernism and mysticism is explored in essays on the holy Guru Granth Sahib; the translations and writings of the British Raj convert, M.A. Macauliffe; the fathers of modern Punjabi literature, Bhai Vir Singh and Puran Singh; and the 20th century fiction writers Bhai Mohan Vaid Singh and Khushwant Singh. Excerpts from journals of visitors to the court of the diminutive and new translations of early twentieth century poetry add depth and originality to this beautiful and accessible introduction to the art, literature, beliefs and history of the Sikhs. Illustrated throughout with 42 colour and 92 black and white images, Sikh Art and Literature is a colourful, heartfelt, and informative introduction to the Sikh culture.

The International Bibliography of Sikh Studies brings together all books, composite works, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, project reports, and electronic resources produced in the field of Sikh Studies until June 2004, making it the most complete and up-to-date reference work in the field today. One of the youngest religions of the world, Sikhism has progressively attracted attention on a global scale in recent decades. An increasing number of scholars is exploring the culture, history, politics, and religion of the Sikhs. The growing interest in Sikh Studies has resulted in an avalanche of literature, which is now for the first time brought together in the International Bibliography of Sikh Studies. This monumental work lists over 10,000 English-language publications under almost 30 subheadings, each representing a subfield in Sikh Studies. The Bibliography contains sections on a wide variety of subjects, such as Sikh gurus, Sikh philosophy, Sikh politics and Sikh religion. Furthermore, the encyclopedia presents an annotated survey of all major scholarly work on Sikhism, and a selective listing of electronic and web-based resources in the field. Author and subject indices are appended for the reader’s convenience.

Almost from the moment, some five centuries ago, that their religion was founded in the Punjab by Guru Nanak, Sikhs have enjoyed a distinctive identity. This sense of difference, forged during Sikhism's fierce struggles with the Mughal Empire, is still symbolised by the 'Five Ks' ('panj kakar', in Punjabi), those articles of faith to which all baptised Sikhs subscribe: uncut hair bound in a turban; comb; special undergarment; iron bracelet and dagger (or kirpan) - the unique marks of the Sikh military fraternity (the word Sikh means 'disciple' in Punjabi). Yet for all its ongoing attachment to the religious symbols that have helped set it apart from neighbouring faiths in South Asia, Sikhism amounts to far more than just signs or externals. Now the world's fifth largest religion, with a significant diaspora especially in Britain and North America, this remarkable monotheistic tradition commands the allegiance of 25 million people, and is a global phenomenon. In her balanced appraisal, Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh reviews the history, theology and worship of a community poised between reconciling its hereditary creeds and certainties with the fast-paced pressures of modernity. She outlines and explains the core Sikh beliefs, and explores the writings and teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus in Sikhism's Holy Scriptures, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (more usually called just the 'Granth'). Further chapters explore Sikh ethics, art and architecture, and matters of gender and the place of women in the tradition. The book attractively combines the warm empathy of a Sikh with the objective insights and acute perspectives of a prominent scholar of religion.

Brings to light the evolution of Sikh art from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. Breaking fresh ground in the study of Sikh art, after the pioneering contributions of W.H. McLeod and B.N. Goswamy, this book on Sikh art evolution is centred on portraits of Sikh Gurus from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. It examines around two hundred and fifty texts of art, of various mediums, scattered across museums and private collections the world over. Ikeda artfully proves how Guru Nanak's portraiture catered to the spiritual and cultural needs not only of ordinary Sikhs, but also satisfied the expectations of the newly formed urban middle class. Including critical review of Harjot Oberoi's study and emphasizing the significant role of Sikh art in the formation of a distinct Sikh community's identity, the author takes note of how the Singh Sabha Movement (1873-1909) and the Akali Movement of 1920 onwards popularized devotional portraits of Guru Nanak even though idolatry is forbidden in the sacred text Guru Granth Sahib. It underlines how there was a paradigm shift in the mentality of Sikh society under the colonial impact of the British Raj. This highly illustrated volume will not only be appreciated by students of visual arts, researchers and academics, but also by the universities across the world in which Sikh Studies are taught. Atsushi Ikeda, a historian of South Asian art, specialising in Sikh art and visual culture, holds an MFA from Kyoto City University of Arts, an M.Res. from Kyoto University and a doctorate from SOAS University of London. Having worked as an art director in a Japanese company, he currently serves as the Chief Director of the Japanese Organisation for the Promotion of Indian Art and Culture (JOPIAC).

This handbook innovatively combines the ways in which scholars diverse fields (including philosophy, psychology, literary studies, history, sociology, anthropology, political science, and economics) have integrated the study of Sikhism within critical and postcolonial perspectives on the nature of religion.