The Story Isn’t Over: History from the Margins

In this episode I have the pleasure to talk to Aanchal Malhotra, author  of ‘Remnants of Partition’, a book that brings sounds, sights and smells  to life, exploring memories of partition through conversations about  objects which were carried across the new frontiers. In re-telling these stories numerous complex tales are entwined amongst  one another creating a beautifully intricate tapestry of a time before,  during and after Partition. The way in which Aanchal retells the memories of those she talks to will strike almost every emotional chord you have. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here is a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 05:54 - Aanchal's family history 14:12 - Partition & migration 16:00 - Partition & freedom 17:09 - How the book brings nuance to a generalised narrative of Partition 19:30 - Do you think the predisposition to look at Partition through the lens of violence is a colonial hangover? 25:55 - Aanchal's family & books 29:30 - What spurned you to write the book? 32:38 - Why are there two different titles of the book? Whilst you were  going through your research was there any surprises or hurdles?   39:13 - Discussing objects and rationalising what you would take with you in an emergency like Partition. 40:42 - People's assumptions behind picking the items they did when they crossed borders 41:32 - What for you was the one item(s) that stood out the most and why? (The Crocodile Head) 47:38 - Importance of the soil of your respective homeland 51:09 - Was there anything else you picked up in terms of similarities and differences between the people you spoke to? 57:31 - Did you have to learn as you went along or was there a technique or practice you used when engaging with your interviewees? 01:04:30 - How did the whole process from research to publishing impact yourself and what has the feedback been like? 01:07:40 - Why do you think pre-partition harmony mutated into the communal violence that is synonymous with Partition? 01:13:10 - Is there anything else you wanted to include or go over? 01:14:40 - Where you can get your copy of Remnants of Partition / Remnants of a Separation

Today I have the pleasure to talk to Dr. Jasjit Singh, an associate professor at the University of Leeds with his research focusing on the religious and cultural lives of South Asians in Britain, with a particular focus on ‘Religious and Cultural transmission’ and on the representation of religious minorities.      ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ We’ll be focusing on Jasjit Singh’s CREST report examining the context and reality of Sikh activism in the UK, racism in football, in particular his son Balraj’s experience of racism, and finally, Jasjit Singh’s recent election as co-chair of the Sikh Studies Unit at the American Academy of Religion. The full time stamped breakdown of this conversation was too long to include in this description, however, you can view the time stamped breakdown by clicking here.

Today I have the pleasure to talk to Amandeep Singh Madra, the co-author of ‘Eyewitness at Amritsar’. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ If you want to know more about our guest then I recommend you visit  episode 15. Coming back to today’s episode, we will be focusing on  Jallianwala Bagh. Now those of you listening have probably seen the recent ‘renovations’,  in my opinion, it’s an absolute indecorous f*ckery of stupidity and  disrespect of history. However, the ‘renovations’ and disrespect itself  won’t be the topic today - instead we’ll be focusing on the Jallianwala  Bagh massacre and the events both preceding and proceeding it. As always here’s a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 01:13 - Where does Jallianwala Bagh get its name from? 03:03 - What was the purpose of Jallianwala Bagh? 06:01 - Visiting Jallianwala Bagh 06:25 - End of WWI, socio-economic influences on Panjab 13:32 - Rowlatt Acts 15:01 - Who are Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer and Sir Michael O’Dwyer? 25:22 - Kitchelew, Sataypal & April 10th, 1919 35:23 - Marcella Sherwood 40:54 - The plan to bomb Amritsar 46:09 - Which regiments were involved in the massacre & did any of the soldiers refuse to shoot? 51:35 - Finding out who belonged to these regiments   54:05 - Who do we know about the crowd that was there that day? 01:01:45 - The myth of the well 01:04:48 - How far are the soldiers from the crowd when they shoot? 01:15:31 - Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and General Dyer’s siropa 01:25:29 - How is the British Raj about to mobilise a vast volunteer force for WW2 considering the events of Jallianwala Bagh? 01:32:09 - What happens to Dyer?

In this episode I get the chance to talk to Peter Bance author of 'Sikhs in Britain: 150 years of photographs' about Sikh migration, immigration and settlement in Britain over the last 150 years. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here's a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 01:18 - Why did decide to research this topic? 03:04 - When is the first instance of Sikh migration from India? 07:15 - How does caste and class influence migration and did this change? 11:57 - What was the relationship between early Sikh peddlars and the Jewish community? 15:00 - What is the legislation change that impacts 'chain-migration'? 16:18 - Is this the only instance of legislation impacting Sikh immigration, or does it occur in other places? 17:28 - What was it about Britain that attracted the first Sikh settlers? 24:18 - How did Sikh migration and the establishment of Gurdwaras work? 27:58 - Are the current concerntrations of the British Sikh population reflective of early Sikh settlement? 31:57 - During your research what were some of the common experiences that early Sikh migrants faced? 36:11 - How did the peddlar trade continue to be a career choice for Sikh immigrants throughout the 20th century? 45:33 - What's the difference between the two editions of your 'Sikhs in Britain' book? 47:22 - What about World War I influences Sikh immigration to England? 51:18 - What role did Britain play in the Indian nationalist movement? 56:07 - Udham Singh in Coventry? 01:00:01 - Accounts of Udham Singh 01:02:55 - Udham Singh, Communism and the IWA. 01:05:12 - Final comments

In this podcast I get to talk to Jasmine Rai, a recent graduate from the  University of Birmingham, about her dissertation entitled - “An  exploration of the representations of Punjabi-Sikhs within Bollywood  cinema and how this affects perceptions of their community”.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here's a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 01:45 - Family, education and culture 04:52 - PPE & Punjab 05:54 - Research & fieldwork 12:46 - Stereotype of Punjabi-Sikh identity in Bollywood films 15:20 - Representation and responsibility 22:53 - Did you come across any movies that bucked the trend? 26:34 - Power to make a change 27:55 - Caricatures & the Punjabi film industry 28:54 - The diaspora and changing the narrative 29:26 - Majority-Minority framework 31:55 - 'Bollywood has culturally appropriated Punjabi culture' 37:09 - Deep rooted change and the politics of India

In this episode I get to talk to Dr. Kamalroop Singh once again and this time we discuss the Sodhak Committee, 'apocrypha' Bani and a lot more.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★ As always here is a time stamped breakdown of the conversation: 00:00 - Introduction 04:53 - When did the Sodhak Committee take place, who was involved and how did they decide what should and should not be included? 14:33 - The processes of the Sodhak Committee 29:32 - Which recension is used most today? 35:46 - Events leading up to the Sodhak Committee 45:27 - Debating 'apocrypha' 47:36 - A list of some 'apocrypha' bani 49:26 - The literary Court of Guru Gobind Singh Ji & languages 58:51 - Gobind Geeta & Hanuman Natak 1:05:45 - Ugurdanti, Sansar Sukhmana, Indra Kavach and more

In this episiode I get to talk to Bhupinder Singh Bance, also known as  Peter Bance is a sikh historian, author, art collector and Maharaja  Duleep Singh archivist.   In fact, His collection has been exhibited worldwide including at the  Victoria & Albert Museum, The British Museum, and the Bard Graduate  Centre in New York.He has written for the Times and The Oxford National Biography & is the author of four books - The Duleep Singhs: Photograph Album of Queen Victoria's Maharajah (2004)  Sikhs in Britain: 150 Years of Photography (2007) Khalsa Jatha British Isles Centenary 1908-2008 (2008) Sovereign, Squire and Rebel: Maharajah Duleep Singh & the Heirs of a  Lost Kingdom (2009) Sikhs in Britain: 150 Years of Photography (2012),He has also appeared in many BBC programmes such as The Story Of The  Turban (2012), Inside Out (2004), Desi DNA (2005), Britain's Maharajah  (2013), Sophia: Suffragette Princess (2015) and The Stolen Maharajah:  Britain's Indian Royal (2018)★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★As always here is a breakdown of the conversation:00:00 - Introduction03:25 - A doctor in India but a door-to-door seller in England04:23 - Why was peddling the go to occupation for early Sikh settlers in England?05:09 - Why did your family come to the UK?06:38 - Ancestry - Shaheedi Misl and Baba Deep Singh Ji08:13 - How did you go from a marketing degree to being a historian of Sikh history?14:21 - What type of items did you come across in your initial research?14:35 - What was it about the Maharaja that attracted you so much?16:38 - Anecdote of Prince Frederick Duleep Singh17:37 - The view of the Sikh Royal Family in East Anglia  19:36 - Princess Catherine Hilda Duleep Singh - The Punjabi Schindler20:59 - How was Catherine practically able to do this and also evade being caught?25:43 - Sister Suffragettes28:04 - Anita Anand and the suffragette story28:19 - How did the descendants of M. Ranjit Singh identify and view themselves?33:00 - The Pension that was never paid34:00 - A Russian Promise - 20k soldiers to march into Punjab via Afghanistan37:11 - The personal notebook of Maharaja Duleep Singh38:17 - The daughters of M. Duleep Singh39:30 - Guns of M. Duleep Singh - The Rolls Royce of Guns42:16 - How many wives and children did M. Duleep Singh have?44:14 - Museums and Repatriation48:21- A painting of a Prince52:48 - The Ramgharia Bakery55:25 - Monte Carlo01:01:32 - Rani Jinda Gravestone & Catacombs01:06:57 - Princess Pauline01:15:13 - Are you aware of the Sikh Royal Family visitng their items in a museum?  01:16:42 - £1.7million Statue01:25:32 - Illegitimate heirs to the throne01:28:48 - How many illegitimate heirs?01:30:18 - Sid Hammond01:31:53 - End of the legitimate heirs of M. Ranjit Singh01:34:32 - Interesting finds & advice in entering the field of Sikh history

In this episode I get to talk to Rav from Panjabi Hit Squad. We discuss Rav's background, upbringing, the history of Panjabi Hit Squad and so  much more. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★As usual, a breakdown of the conversation is below.  00:00 - Introduction - How are you? Have things gone back to normal in the entertainment industry?  02:00 - What is your family history and experience been?06:16 - How did you all meet and what is the history of Panjabi Hit Squad and where did the name come from?13:27 - What were the feature factors in the popularity of the British Asian music scene in the 90s/00s?17:39 - What have been the biggest changes over the last twenty years to the British Asian music scene and why isn’t it as popular?21:51 - Do you think we will see a group from the South Asian diaspora, similar to NSG?28:30 - Do you think the healthy competition in the early 2000s lent itself to pushing everyone?31:17 - What have your experiences of the music industry been like?39:32 - How was it working with Ms Scandalous, Alyssia and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan?  44:00 - Who has been the most interesting person you’ve worked with or  come across in the music industry? What was it like being signed by Def  Jam and working with people like Mariah Carey and Fat Man Scoop?51:12 - Have you ever thought about the impact of your music on popular culture?57:00 - Food heaven and food hell?

In this episode I get to talk to Gurinder Singh Mann about the history and dissemination of Sri Dasam Granth, amongst a whole host of other topics.Gurinder Singh Mann, is a Sikh historian and has published three books The British and the Sikhs: Discovery, warfare and friendship c1700-1900. Military and social interaction in Imperial India (From Musket to Maxim 1815-1914) Sri Dasam Granth Sahib: Questions and Answers The Granth Of Guru Gobind Singh: Essays, Lectures, and Translations, which was published by Oxford University PressHe is also the director of the Sikh Museum Initiative, a curator of the Anglo Sikh Virtual Museum and an advisor for the upcoming movie The Sikh Soldier.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★As always here is a breakdown of the podcast:00:00 – Introduction01:24 – Upbringing and family background04:29 - How were you introduced to Sri Dasam Granth?08:07 - What were you planning on studying in respect to Sri Dasam Granth?12:12 - What were some of the conclusions of your MA study?17:17 - What was the reaction to your MA & what is your opinion of past Dasam?19:47 - Why do you think certain scholars are hesitant to attribute Dasam Granth?25:13 - What is your view of the work of Jaggi and Reinhart?41:41 - Introduction to the physical historical dissemination of Sri Dasam Granth?47:59 - What methods were used to physically construct a Dasam Granth manuscript?53:02 - Anything of particular interest come up in your research?55:15 – Kavis (poets) of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.59:04 - Why 52?01:01:30 - What was the religious landscape like at the time of Guru Gobind Singh ji?01:06:49 - Where does the tradition of having Kavis come from?01:08:51 - Paonta Sahib Sri Dasam Granth manuscripts01:11:39 - The Bhai Daya Singh recension of Sri Dasam Granth Sahib01:15:26 - Any other Sri Dasam Granth manuscripts worth mentioning?01:17:27 - How did Sri Dasam Granth Sahib evolve historically?01:19:36 - How do the themes of Sri Dasam Granth and Sri Guru Granth Sahib relate?01:25:31 – What other ways was Sri Dasam Granth propagated?01:31:50 - What evidence is there to show the body armour once belonged to Guru Gobind Singh Ji?01:33:42 - How was Sri Dasam Granth propagated during the misl period and M. Ranjit Singh period?01:48:03 - Wilkins, Malcolm, Leyden, Anglo-Sikh Wars and the Singh Sabha movement01:54:30 - What is your opinion of the idea that the British purposefully removed Sri Dasam Granth sahib?01:55:53 - Did the changing relationship between Britain and the Punjab impact British accounts of the Sikhs?01:57:05 - Annexation and perception of Sri Dasam Granth sahib02:09:22 - The Sodhak Committee?02:14:32 – National armies, the Sikhs and Sovereignty02:26:55 – How did copies of Sri Dasam Granth end up in institutions across the world?02:23:20 - What is the most accurate translation of Sri Dasam Granth currently available?

In this latest podcast episode I get to talk to Satnam Singh again.   ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ ★ Buy this podcast a coffee ★We discuss Bhai Nand Lal, his birth in Ghazni, Afghanistan, his  upbringing and education. We discuss Bhai Nand Lal's parents, their  passing and the different narratives regarding his life. We then explore  Bhai Nand Lal's tenure under Aurangzeb before joining the court of Guru  Gobind Singh Ji. We then dive into the plethora of works penned by Bhai  Nand Lal, along with the importance of Persian.