The ਸੋਚ (Sōch) Podcast

★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ 00:00 - Teaser 00:56 - Introduction 01:45 - Early life & upbringing 03:46 - Family Background 04:47 - Becoming a police officer? 05:56 - From collector to collecting? 08:35 - Why are antique swords (usually) far superior? 10:39 - What do you do as an antique arms and armour collector? 14:10 - The restoration of antique arms and armour? 17:45 - Origins of the full body armour? 20:07 - Indian laws and antique arms and armour 22:30 - Dealer or collector? 26:23 - Experience on BBC Antiques Roadshow 29:57 - Role on BBC Antiques Roadshow 31:14 - A general perspective of south asian arms and armour 33:17 - Similarities and differences of south asian arms and armour 38:57 - Sikh Weapons? 42:01 - Dealing with antique guns 47:03 - Museums, artifacts and where to draw the line? 49:54 - Antique arms and armour fairs 51:50 - Funniest experience 57:29 - European influence on south asian arms and armour? 01:01:58 - Favourite Item: The Articulated Bagh Nakh 01:12:19 - History of the articulated Bagh Nakh 01:14:58 - Origins of articulated the Bagh Nakh 01:16:11 - Made to measure? 01:17:31 - Deciphering what’s legitimate? 01:20:31 - Pointers for collectors who are just starting? 01:22:58 - Social media & how to get in touch 01:25:06 - Damascus steel 01:29:13 - Anything we missed out? 01:29:30 - Conclusion

00:00 - Intro 01:02 - The origins of this project 02:01 - Why was the decision made to make the calendar entirely about women? 02:53 - Idol worship and paintings of Gurus? 06:34 - An artist's perspective of depicting Gurus and other figures from Sikh history? 08:22- Where are the stories coming from? What do the sources tell us about Sikh women in history? 12:19 - Why is it important that the sources are pre-colonial? What has colonialism done to our current understanding of women in Sikh history? 14:01 - What is the mentality behind revising historical narratives? 16:00 - Who has been included in the calendar? 21:23 - What do pre-colonial texts say about the Gurus marrying more than one wife? 24:08 - What do pre-colonial texts say about the marriage rites of the Gurus? 27:25 - Other examples of source material disagreeing with the modern narrative? 33:00 - How do you bring the research to life as accurately as possible? 35:27 - Understanding the ‘soul bride’ metaphor 39:21 - How has the reformation of Sikh philosophy influenced the modern day Sikh community's understanding of itself - including tales of men & women from Sri Dasam Granth? 47:29 - Would it be fair to say that the Divine, beyond duality, is conveyed through duality? 51:55 - What has been the greatest difficulty in creating these pieces of art? 54:31 - Is there anything that has not been included due to modern sensibilities? 55:53 - Which other artists are involved? 56:46 - Can we undo the impact of the Singh Sabha movement or are we heading into a ‘Neo-Pre Colonial’ period? 01:00:27 - Why are certain depictions of Sikh history more accepted than others? 01:04:22 - Perception of the divine and artist Sobha Singh? 01:08:43 - How will art from today impact the community in generations to come? 01:15:23 - Which one is your favourite art piece from the calendar? 01:20:28 - Conclusion 01:20:41 - Bloopers★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★

Featuring Neymar's mascot, Josh Singh. Prince Ripudaman Singh, his Swan Rolls-Royce & matching Roll Royce Cygnett. The Koutoubia Mosque replica in Kapurthala. The first Indian languages school in England. General Allard, Napoleon's wife & cashmere shawls. The Sikh Peanut Prince of Argentina and a Portuguese eye-witness to Guru Arjun Dev Ji’s shaheedi.

★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ You can see a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below. 00:00 - Teaser 00:20 - Introduction 01:26 - Family history and background 04:59 - What do you remember from October 31st 1984? 08:15 - Would the genocide have taken place even if Indira Gandhi was not assassinated? 14:36 - How did your research help bring to the front a bigger picture? 18:34 - To what extent are the police and the army involved & how did Sikhs who were in these forces act? 21:53 - How and why do things come to a stop towards November 3rd? 23:58 - Was the genocide just targetted to Delhi? 24:09 - What role does the media play in the immediate decade or two in supporting a particular narrative? 29:11 - Do you expect we’ll ever know the true extent of what actually took place? 32:54 - Which high ranking officials were involved? What did they do? Was Sajjan Kumar essentially a sacrificial lamb from the perspective of the state? 39:03 - What role did Gyani Zail Singh  play? 43:28 - Are the British involved? What do arms deals have  to do with 1984?   46:36 - Any idea what documents were removed by the FCO from the National Archives in 2016, could it possibly include the British reconnaissance report from Sri Harmandir Sahib? 48:30 - Has anything new come to light that changes the narrative since you published your book? 53:09 - Truth, Justice & Reconciliation: what do you think should happen? 58:32 - How did the research impact you? 01:03:43 - Conclusion 01:04:36 - Outro 01:04:54 - Next Month’s Podcast Trailer

This is the full podcast 'The Rise & Fall of the Sikh Empire' with Dr. Priya Atwal.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★⁠⁠ You can find the full video podcast on my YouTube channel and you can see a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below. 00:00 - Teaser 01:14 - Introduction 03:07 - What is the Punjabi/Sikh relationship with political ideologies such as monarchy, republicanism and democracy? 11:38 - How would you define the socio-political system of the Misl period? 16:43 - You challenge the assumption that Punjabi Queens are un-martial, could you tell us more about this? 31:20 - Relics of Muhammad in the treasury of Maharaja Runjeet Singh? 33:05 - How else is the martial imagery deployed and developed? 44:10 - Would it be fair to say some of the misunderstandings around topics like women is due to a male dominated perspective? 44:28 - What is the socio-economic and cultural landscape like during  Ranjit Singh's reign & does he do anything that drastically changes  things? 46:09 - How big is Punjab during Runjeet Singh's reign? 52:01 - How would you define the way Ranjit Singh engages with the  British EIC, as well as the larger political landscape externally and  internally?   58:10 - How does the Sarvaisddhantattvacudamani (The Crest-Jewel of the  Essence of all Systems of Astronomy) play such a central role in  redefining the Kharak Singh, Sher Singh, Tara Singh and Duleep Singh? 01:14:28 - Previous episode 01:15:27 - In a nutshell, why did the Sukerchakia dynasty fall apart?

Today I’m joined once again by Gurinder Singh Mann and we’re discussing  his latest book - Rise of the Sikh Soldier - as well as a whole host of  other topics.    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★⁠⁠ You can find a time stamped breakdown of the full podcast below:   00:00 - Teaser 00:55 - Introduction 01:27 - What made you write the book? 04:01 - How did you go about your research for this book? 05:54 - Out of the 4 pages of illustrations listed in the book, which are worth mentioning? 08:30 - How did you go about picking who to include? 11:17 - Could you tell us a little bit about the upbringing of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia? 14:50 - Why did you not include Nawab Kapur Singh? 16:25 - What could you tell us about Jassa Singh Ahluwalia’s reading of the political landscape? 22:32 - What could you tell us about the communications between the Misls and the British? 26:23 - In the letters between the Misls and the British - besides military matters - what else do they discuss? 29:24 - What is the political system of the time? 32:07 - How did the rakhi system work? Was it akin to racketeering? 38:10 - In a nutshell, who is Charat Singh Sukerchakia? 43:34 - What leads to the Sukerchakia’s rise to power? 46:19 - Who is Lehna Singh Majithia? 50:19 - Is there a particular reason why the artillery was predominantly composed of Muslims? 52:58 - Although not included in the book, what could you say about Akali Phula Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa? 59:06 - Who is Sada Kaur & why is she important? 01:05:32 - What could you tell us about the military system of Ranjit Singh’s Empire & the influence of European generals? 01:09:12 - Who are the elite troops of the Sikh Empire? 01:13:21 - Did the Sikhs ever conquer Afghanistan? 01:19:03 - Anything you wanted to mention or we’ve missed out? 01:21:27 - Where can I get a copy of ‘Rise of the Sikh Soldier’? 01:22:11 - Conclusion

Today I have the pleasure to talk to Kavita Puri, she is an award-winning BBC journalist, oral historian, executive producer and broadcaster about her book - Partition Voices - which is now in its 2nd edition.★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ You can find a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below:00:00 - Introduction00:44 - Why you do the work you do07:57 - Who is Kavita Puri?11:32 - Difference between a journalist an a historian?14:49 - When did you become aware of your own family history?19:06 - What are the causes of silence?25:35 - How did you go about putting the book - Partition Voices - together?28:46 - How did recording these stories impact you?32:30 - Did people ever share how they felt after talking with you?35:38 - What was it that helped cause the social cohesion to evaporate?40:11 - How does masculinity and manhood impact the events that unfold?45:56 - What led people to believe that Partition would not be how it turned out?50:33 - What is the understanding behind the respect for the land?53:53 - Did you come across anything unexpected?56:16 - Why do you think the history of the British Empire should be taught within Britian?58:45 - Precautions and tips01:01:32 - Conclusion

Today I have the chance to talk to Rav Singh from 'A Little History of the Sikhs'. We explore all the fascinating and obscure parts of Sikh history that are scattered across the UK, Europe and further afield.  ★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ 00:00 - Teaser 00:37: - Intro 01:55 - Who Is Rav Singh? 04:00 - Work & A Little History - How Do You Balance Them? 06:33 - What Spurned You To Start A Little History Of The Sikhs? 09:46 - Trafalgar Square - The Governor Of Punjab & The Ferozepore Sikhs 13:35 - The 1999 Exhibition 15:09 - Allegience To Whom? 22:22 - The Kohinoor 25:12 - Accessing Archives 25:24 - Maidstone Museum & The Sikh Cannon 26:10 - The Blood Soaked Jacket 27:12 - How Durham University Archives Have Got It Wrong 28:41 - The Secrets Of The Antiques Road Show 29:25 - Maharaj Singh 30:35 - Growing Up In East London 36:57 - Bhangra Day Timers & Sikh History 37:55 - Memorialising Anglo-sikh History - Generals, A Cherry & A Mosquito 40:06 - History Of Empire 41:42 - From University To A Little History Of The Sikhs 46:27 - Sikh History In London And Monopoly 46:44 - Sikhopoly & The Singh Twins 47:23 - Further Development Of A Little History Of The Sikhs 51:46 - Quotes, Meanings & Why They're Important To You 54:07 - Christy Campbell & Maharajah Duleep Singh 54:54 - 2nd Hand Book Shops In London & Online 55:31 - Finding Out More About Duleep Singh 01:01:49 - The Quote For Me 01:03:42 - The Most Obscure Bit Of Sikh History In London? 01:04:06 - The Mice, The Cheese & Other Obscurities 01:07:02 - The Team Behind A Little History 01:14:41 - Sikh History In 32 Boroughs Of London 01:16:09 - Sikh Cannons In London 01:22:27 - The Silent Painting From Amritsar 01:24:25 - Sikhs & Hampton Court Palace 01:40:31 - Interesting Pit Stops On Your Tours Related To Sikh History 01:41:00 - The Sikh Chapel 01:49:14 - Psychology of Recruiting 01:52:23 - From A Church On Old Kent Road To The Guru Ka Bagh Morcha In Punjab 01:57:53 - What Are Your Plans For 2022? - Malaga To Madrid 01:59:40 - Sikh History In Malta 02:02:31 - Sikh History In Spain? A Princess, An Argument And Jinnah 02:04:37 - Sikh History In Madrid 02:07:02 - The Little History Of The Sikhs Museum 02:09:31 - Tours In Europe & The Uk 02:14:09 - How To Get Involved? 02:21:45 - Bhangra Daytimers Walking Tour 02:26:27 - The Udham Singh Experience 02:28:06 - Things You Haven't Seen Before 02:29:54 - Controversy? 02:33:37 - Random Messages - Guru Nanak Dev Ji In Europe 02:36:12 - History & Emotions, Guru, Gurbani & Life 02:40:51 - Conclusion

In this episode I have the chance to talk to Jvala Singh, a historian, academic and Suraj podcast curator. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here's a time stamped breakdown of the whole conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 01:12 - What is Suraj Prakash? 02:45 - How long does it take to write Suraj Prakash? How does it become so widely accepted? 06:25 - How is Kavi Santokh Singh’s work able to become on par with that of Bhai Nand Lal, Bhai Mani Singh or Bhai Gurdas Ji? 10:13 - Would it be fair to say that Suraj Prakash is similar to Mahabharta or Ramayana, due to its length as well as the philosophical and historical layers meshed within it? 12:23 - Who is Kavi Santokh Singh Ji? 18:55 - Did Kavi Santokh Singh have any children and what happened to his lineage? 20:35 - Is Kavi Santokh Singh comparable to Herodutus, as the first major historian in the Sikh tradition, or is he following a tradition already set by those before him? 23:15 - Do the different styles of literature reflect the different stages of the Sikh community? 24:20 - In relation then to Santokh Singh’s curation of his works, do we know anything about the sources that he used and how he went about deciding what to include? 26:24 - Where are any of the original manuscripts, if they still exist? 30:25 - How does Kavi Santokh Singh write Suraj Prakash & does he memorise everything he recites? 32:33 - What language is Suraj Prakash written in and is it similar to Sri Dasam Granth in utilising more than one language? 34:02 - Could you expand a little on the history and how Suraj Prakash is received from the point of Santokh Singhs passing? 42:02 - Is Kavi Santokh Singhs work one of the last to demonstrate a pre-colonial logic of identity? 44:33 - In terms of translations and commentaries that have been published since, how do they deviate from the original or reflect the understandings of the writers and their respective samparadays? 50:16 - Are there similarities in how debate around Sri Dasam Granth raged say 10 or 20 years ago and slowly the community became more informed, are we seeing the same now with Suraj Prakash? 54:15 - What does Suraj Prakash tell us about Bhai Bidhi Chand and Guru Tegh Bahadur Jis wedding? 58:50 - What does Suraj Prakash say about Guru Tegh Bahadur jis wedding? 01:02:22 - What does Suraj Prakash say about the relationship between the Gurus and the Mughals? 01:13:55 - Suraj Prakash & Vaisakhi? Does it follow with the story described by Koer Singh and Kaushish about the goats? 01:18:25 - Does Chatka have any connection to the pre-colonial story of Vaisakhi? 01:22:20 - What does Suraj Prakash say about Chandi Ma and Raag Mala? 01:30:54 - Do you have plans to continue the podcast after the stories of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji? 01:32:20 - Will your translation work of the Suraj Prakash you have done so far or any that you do in the future be available in any other format, and the most requested, as you could imagine, as a book? 01:35:00 - Considering how large and the depth Suraj Prakash is, why has not received the same attention as other texts as Prem Sumarag or Gur Sobha, some of these are more widely discussed, perhaps? 01:37:00 - As you mentioned, it was only once texts such as Prem Sumarag and Gur Sobha were translated into English, that they entered the collective consciousness of the community, what are some of the perils with that and with your own podcast how do you go about ensuring you are as close to the authentic meaning as possible? 01:41:30 - Conclusion

In this episode I get the chance to talk to Dr. Priya Atwal. We speak about Priya's upbringing and background, studying Sikh history at university, her journey from dissertation to the publication of her amazing book Royals and Rebels (if you wanted to, I've written a book review on it, which you can acess here - bit.ly/BookReview06)  We go on to talk about the machinations of Raja Gulab Singh and others in the Lahore Durbar, the contrast between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharani Jind Kaur, accessing Persian sources and what they tell us and finally, we discuss plans for a part two!  ★ Join the Ramblings of a Sikh YouTube Channel ★ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here's a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Teaser 00:23 - Introduction 01:13 - Meet our guest 02:38 - Who is Priya Atwal? 08:28 - What were your initial impressions when introduced to the Sikh Empire? 11:29 - What did the journey entail when turning your dissertation into a book? 15:09 - What is a PhD really like? 24:00 - What is Raja Gulab Singh Dogra really up to? Is Raja Gulab Singh Dogra really a traitor? 27:53 - The Secret Enclosures & the truth about Rani Jindan 32:19 - Is Gulab Singh Dogra the only puppet master or are there also other factions? 35:25 - Why does the popular narrative lay the blame for the Anglo-Sikh Wars on the shoulders of Rani Jindan? 37:12 - The Real Ranjit? Does the popular narrative over-estimate Ranjit’s ability due to its contrast against the false narrative of Rani Jindan being a weak Queen? 44:18 - What did you discover when researching Persian sources? 51:58 - Are Sher Singh and Tara Singh legitimate children of Ranjit Singh? 56:11 - Who is Rani Jindan? Punjabi Boudica or a Weak & Feeble Queen? 01:02:00 - What can we expect from Dr. Priya Atwal in 2022? 01:05:00 - Conclusion