The beleaguered citizens of Lahore, suffering under the misrule of the Bhangi triumvirate of Chait Singh, Mohr Singh and Sahib Singh, send a petition to the young Shukerchakia chief, Ranjit Singh. With the help of his visionary mother-in-law, Mata Sada Kaur, the leader of the Kanhaiya Misl, Ranjit Singh takes the capital of the Punjab.…

Shah Zaman, the grandson of Ahmad Shah Abdali, who had been the scourge of the Punjab for decades crosses the Indus again. As the Sikhs prepare to abandon their cities in the face of the Afghan juggernaut, Sardarni Sada Kaur persuades them to dig their heels in and resist. The young Ranjit Singh, the grandson of the legendary Sikh warrior Sardar Ch…

The Afghan King Shah Zaman, the grandson of Ahmed Shah Abdali invades the Punjab providing an opportunity for the young Ranjit Singh to start building his reputation.By Sarbpreet Singh

Ghulam Qadir Rohilla returns to Delhi and blinds the Emperor Shah Alam, replacing him with his puppet. George Thomas becomes the commander of one of the four battalions of Sardhana, the kingdom of Begum Samru and also becomes her paramour. Ghulam Qadir is defeated and killed by the Marathas, who restore Shah Alam to the throne. Maha Singh lays sieg…

Maha Singh Shukerchakia takes his six year old son Ranjit Singh with him on a successful expedition to Jammu, which yields great wealth, but disaster strikes and the child is stricken with smallpox. The boy recovers but the attack leaves him blind in one eye and scars his face permanently. As Ranjit Singh’s mother goes to Jwalamukhi to pray at the …

A squabble over plunder realized from an attack on the kingdom of Jammu creates a rupture between Maha Singh Shukerchakia and his mentor Jai Singh, the Kanhaiya patriarch. After Jai Singh insults his protégé and threatens him, Maha Singh conspires with Raja Sansar Chand and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia against the Kanhaiyas. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Baghel …

The story opens in the year 1774, when the mighty Mughal Empire, which had ruled the Indian subcontinent has crumbled, leaving the Punjab in chaos. Ahmad Shah Abdali the ruler of Afghanistan and the scourge of the Sikhs, who had wrested the Punjab from the Mughals has also passed away recently. The Sikhs, who are organized into twelve bands, known …

With the passing of Ahmad Shah Abdali and the utter collapse of the Mughal Empire, the Sikhs see unbounded opportunities to consolidate their power. New threats appear on the horizon as the Marathas rise again and the British East India Company turns its eyes towards Delhi.By Sarbpreet Singh

Ahmad Shah Abdali returns to the Punjab, this time determined to destroy the Sikhs. Thousands are killed in the Wadda Ghallughara or the great holocaust, but the Sikhs, unbowed, stand up to him and end up the de-facto rulers of their homeland, the Punjab.By Sarbpreet Singh

Ahmed Shah Abdali invades Hindustan again and decimates the tottering Mughal Empire. The Afghans occupy Lahore and desecrate the Golden Temple. Baba Deep Singh falls while battling the Afghans in Amritsar. The Marathas enter Punjab and try to reassert Mughal control over the province. Ahmad Shah Abdali returns and breaks the back of Maratha power i…

Mir Mannu, who takes command of Lahore, views the Sikhs as a threat. Ahmed Shah Abdali, returns to avenge his defeat. The Sikhs start growing in power as the Punjab stays turbulentBy Sarbpreet Singh

Bhai Taru Singh is tortured and put to death by Zakriya Khan. Thousands of Sikhs are slain by his deputy Lakhpat Rai. A new king, who will cast a long shadow on the homeland of the Sikhs, rises in the west.By Sarbpreet Singh

A new threat approaches from the West, which threatens the Mughal Empire and creates an opportunity for the Sikhs.By Sarbpreet Singh

The respite for the Sikhs is very brief. Once again Nawab Zakriya Khan unleashes a reign of terror and new heroes rise in the face of terrible oppression.By Sarbpreet Singh

Nawab Zakriya Khan of Lahore decides to extend an olive branch to the Sikhs. An emissary is sent with a title and land and the Sikhs get their own Nawab.By Sarbpreet Singh

Banda Singh Bahadur’s rebellion is over and Lahore is the hands of an oppressive ruler intent on destroying the Sikhs. It is a time when men who can ride, lead and wield a sword might make a reputation for themselves.By Sarbpreet Singh

The might of the Mughal Empire descends on the Sikhs and a fierce battle is fought at Lohgarh. Banda Bahadur manages to escape but is besieged by powerful Mughal commanders at Gurdas Nangal, where he fights his last battle.By Sarbpreet Singh

Guru Gobind Singh’s chosen deputy, the former sorcerer Banda Singh Bahadur has managed to amass an army, He is ready to bring Nawab Wazir Khan, who mercilessly murdered the Guru’s younger sons to justice.By Sarbpreet Singh

Guru Gobind Singh, traveling South, meets a powerful sorcerer on the banks of the Godavari. The sorcerer, transformed by the encounter, becomes a beloved disciple of the Guru's and is given a mission.By Sarbpreet Singh

NIGHT OF THE RESTLESS SPIRITS is a collection of heart-rending short stories that attempt to capture the 1984 massacre in all its complexity and contradictions. Sarbpreet Singh’s stories take the reader on a journey fraught with love and tinged with tragedy, frayed relationships, the breaking down of humanity and resilience in the face of absolute …

A musical feast of shabads in various forms of Raga MalharBy Sarbpreet Singh

Recitation and English translation of the Jaap Shib (continued)By Sarbpreet Singh

Why Black Lives Matter to SikhsBy Sarbpreet Singh

The Jaap Sahib of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in translation Part 2By Sarbpreet Singh

The Jaap Sahib of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in translation Part 1By Sarbpreet Singh

A translation and four fabulous renditions of the Savaiyya, Jagat Jot Jape Nis Basur, which is a succinct and elegant definition of the KhalsaBy Sarbpreet Singh

Rogan Te Ar Sogan Te Jal Jogan Te Bahu Bhant Bachavat - A soulful quatrain of praise in Raga MalkaunsBy Sarbpreet Singh

Bhagat Kabir 's beautiful relationship with God. Tweet your favorite shabad @sarbpreetsingh to be included in future episodesBy Sarbpreet Singh

The sanctuary of the Guru's word in a time of fear and anxiety. Tweet your favorite shabad @sarbpreetsingh to be featured on a subsequent episode.By Sarbpreet Singh

In a time treachery and deceit Guru Gobind Singh leads his Sikhs and his family out of the fortified city of Anandpur, where disaster strikes.By Sarbpreet Singh

By Sarbpreet Singh

By Sarbpreet Singh

By Sarbpreet Singh

By Sarbpreet Singh

The young Guru Gobind Rai reflects upon the martyrdom of his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur. The lad prepares himself to meet his destiny and realize the grand vision of Guru Nanak. He is tested by powerful kings who surround him, driven to jealousy by his increasing power and fame.By Sarbpreet Singh

Tegh Bahadur, the youngest son of the late Guru Hargobind, is anointed the ninth Guru of the Sikhs in the face of competing claims by multiple pretenders to the throne of Guru Nanak. The Guru boldly confronts the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who has been forcing his non-Muslim subjects to convert to Islam on the pain of death.…

Gur Hargobind names his young grandson, Har Rai successor, but his oldest grandson Dhir Mal rebels against him. The Guru’s family is once roiled by dissent and treachery. The seventh Guru, Har Rai attracts the attention of the Mughal court and sends his son Ram Rai there as his representative, only to be disappointed by his perfidy. His younger son…

The Guru nurtures a young Pathan named Painde Khan, a formidable warrior who becomes one of his favorites. There is a sharp confrontation between the Sikhs and the entourage of the Emperor Shah Jahan, when the Sikhs seize a magnificent hawk belonging to the Emperor. The Guru makes a rousing declaration of sovereignty, which leads to the first armed…

The Guru returns to Amritsar after his exile in Gwalior and his family grows and flourishes. One of his young sons, Atal Rai, learns a difficult lesson about deference to the will of the divine.By Sarbpreet Singh

Hargobind, the young son of the late Guru Arjan ascends to the throne of Guru Nanak. His Sikhs are startled when he sets the traditional appurtenances of his station aside and dons twin swords. He creates the Akal Bunga which will go on to become an enduring symbol of Sikh sovereignty. The Guru is imprisoned by the Emperor Jahangir in Gwalior fort,…

The Camel Merchant of Philadelphia is writer/narrator Sarbpreet Singh's new book about the court of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. This episode is about the book and his recent tour of India.By Sarbpreet Singh

A reflection on the Christchurch mosque attacksBy Sarbpreet Singh

A sneak preview of Season 2By Sarbpreet Singh

A musical feast that examines the singing of Raga Basant and other melodies of the spring in the Sikh Sacred Music tradition.By Sarbpreet Singh

The Guru's Huqm or word, provides comfort on a difficult day.By Sarbpreet Singh

During the holy month of Ramadan a group of Muslims embody the values of the Sikh faith with a breathtaking act of solidarity and compassion.By Sarbpreet Singh

Our very distinctive title music is an excerpt from a shabad or hymn, sung by the Bhai Avtar Singh, one of the most distinguished Sikh Ragis or minstrels of modern times. In this bonus episode of The Story of the Sikhs Sarbpreet Singh reminisces about the legend who touched so many hearts through his beautiful music and the extraordinary warmth of …

From the tragic martyrdom of Guru Arjan rises a great institution that will forever define the character of Sikhs and Sikhism. The poignant story of Guru Arjan and his beloved disciple the Sufi saint Miyan Mir.By Sarbpreet Singh

Guru Arjan, in his crowning achievement, creates the Guru Granth Sahib, the egalitarian scripture of the Sikhs, with contributions from the Sikh Gurus as well as enlightened souls from other faiths. Prithi Chand tries to convince the Emperor Akbar that Guru Arjan’s new scripture is blasphemous and disrespectful of Islam and Hinduism.…

Guru Arjan establishes the Har Mandar Sahib, popularly known as The Golden Temple, which will become the most prominent place of worship for the Sikh faith and a symbol of its endurance. The Guru’s wife, Mata Ganga, distraught at being childless is sent to seek the blessing of Bhai Buddha, a venerable old Sikh, who has served the faith from the tim…