Description
When with the British army in the Punjab, in 1805, the author endeavoured to collect materials that would throw light upon the history, manners, and religion of the Sikhs. Though this subject had been treated by several English writers, none of them had possessed opportunities of obtaining more than very general information regarding this extraordinary race; and their narratives therefore, though meriting regard, have served more to excite than to gratify curiosity. This is one of the earliest books on the Sikhs. It attempts to offer a sketch of their history and the state of the Sikhs at the time of writing this book. It covers notices on the religious movements, wages, manners and customs, and their character. The book is divided into three sections. The first section, covering almost the first half of the book, treats of the origin and history of the Sikhs from Guru Nanak to Banda Singh Bahadur, with observations on their religious institutions, usages and manners. The second section deals with the nature and character of the Sikh government and the third with the religion of the Sikhs. It was originally published in the Asiatick Researches in 1810, and was published in book form in 1812 and reprinted in 1981.
