By Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh; Translated by M.L. Mongia
Volume One is a 2nd edition, publsihed in 2011; Volume Two is a 2nd edition publish in 2013 by Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan. They are oversized, new hardcover books of 443 pages and 397 pages respectively.
This is an English translation of a small portion of Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh's classic text, translated, retold, and interpreted by him from Kavi Santokh Singh's epic Sri Gur Partap Suraj Granth. Bhai Vir Singh Ji was a saint and an excellent writer. His writings are deeply soaked with love for Guru Sahib and he is honourably known as the 'Sixth river of Punjab.' His narration of history is so vivid, it takes the reader right back to the time of story and makes one feel like a real spectator of that event.
The entire Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth was written in 1844 by Kavi Chooramani Bhai Santokh Singh. This extensive history of Sikhism covers the entire period of Guru Nanak through Banda Singh Bahadur in chronological order. This enormous work contains 51,829 couplets in 14 volumes. He wrote in the archaic text of Braj Bhasha, making it difficult for the common man to read.
These two books cover 85 sakis (stories) of the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Inspired, accurate, emotional and comprehensive, there is nothing else like this in English - anywhere. "Chamatkar" means "miracle", and for me these books are just that!
The writings of Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh are an amazing treasure. He not only portrays Sikh history faithfully, he infuses it with life and spirit as if he witnessed it first hand. Bhai Vir Singh Ji is one of the most revered authors of Sikh spiritual literature. I am personally grateful for this translation effort, and I hope to see more!
See Sri Kalgidarh Chamatkar for the two volume set on the history of Guru Gobind Singh ji and Sri Asht Guru Chamatkar on the history of Guru Angad Dev, Guru Amar Das and Guru Ram Das
