Khooni Vaisakhi : A Poem from the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, 1919

by Nanak Singh, Navdeep Suri (Translator)

Jallianwala Bagh. 13 April 1919. Twenty-two-year-old Nanak Singh joins the mass of peaceful protestors agitating against the Rowlatt Act. What then turns out to be one of the worst atrocities perpetrated by the British Raj, and a turning point in India's independence movement, also becomes a life-changing experience for Nanak Singh, who survives the massacre, unconscious and unnoticed among the hundreds of corpses. After going through the traumatic experience, Nanak Singh proceeds to write Khooni Vaisakhi, a long poem in Punjabi. The poem was a scathing critique of the British Raj and was banned soon after its publication in May 1920. After sixty long years, it was rediscovered and has been translated into English for the first time by the author's grandson, Navdeep Suri. Featuring the poem in translation and in original, this bilingual book is accompanied by essays from Navdeep Suri, Punjabi literature scholar H.S. Bhatia and BBC correspondent Justin Rowlatt. Khooni Vaisakhi is not only a poignant piece of protest literature but also a historical artefact and a resurrected witness to how Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims came together to stand up to colonization and oppression in one of India's darkest moments.

Genres: Poetry, India, History

144 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2019

Reviews

[Milan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Khooni Vaisakhi' is Nanak Singh’s moving ode to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, translated into English by Navdeep Suri, his grandson. When this poem was published in 1920, Britishers destroyed all the copies of the book and banned it. Justice Rowlatt authored the infamous Rowlatt Act which triggered the tragic series of events leading to the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April, 1919. The book also contains a particularly poignant piece by Justin Rowlatt, the great-grandson of Sidney Rowlatt. The poem in its original form feels so complete and describes the whole history related to Jallianwala Bagh massacre in a very precise manner. Those of us who know Punjabi can say that the translation could have been better, but this translation succeeds in introducing the great work of Nanak Singh to a wider audience.

[Neerja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spectacular moving book. I am speechless and overwhelmed after reading this book. It is one important book to read which is quite impactful.

It includes the translation of the poem and the original text by the author, Nanak Singh alongwith essays from various people like his own grandson and more.

I had a great time reading it and I would highly recommend it.

[Sourav Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Khooni Vaisakhi is not just a poem—it is a searing eyewitness account, a literary memorial, and a work of enduring resistance. Written in 1920 by Nanak Singh, who himself survived the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919, the poem captures the unspeakable horror of that day with piercing clarity and heartfelt emotion. Banned soon after its publication by the British Raj, it remained hidden for decades before being rediscovered and translated into English by Singh’s grandson, Navdeep Suri.

The power of Khooni Vaisakhi lies in its raw, poetic testimony. In rhymed Punjabi verse, Singh describes how a peaceful gathering turned into a massacre under General Dyer’s orders, leaving over a thousand innocents dead. The verses blend vivid reportage with deep pathos, capturing the grief, anger, and awakening of a colonized nation. Unlike detached historical accounts, this poem throbs with personal loss and collective outrage, offering a voice to those who could never speak again.

Navdeep Suri’s English translation does full justice to the original, maintaining its lyrical tone while ensuring accessibility for modern readers. The book also includes a detailed introduction and historical context, making it an excellent resource for anyone seeking to understand colonial brutality and the cultural resistance it provoked.

Reading Khooni Vaisakhi today is a chilling reminder of imperial cruelty, but also of the resilience of memory and poetry. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian history, freedom struggles, or powerful political poetry

[Sakshi Chauhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

‌Jalliawala bagh, almost every indian knows about it, knows about what had happened there a century ago. Hundreds of people died and thousands got injured but some were fortunate enough to survive, or I would say unfortunate enough to recall or reimagine that dreadfully event.
Udham Singh and Nanak Singh are one of those unfortunates.
Udham Singh, the one who followed ideology of Bhagat Singh and then killed Micheal O'Dwyer in London.
Nanak Singh, being a writer, chose another path. He decided to write about what had happened. He wrote KHOONI VAISAKHI a poem, which was later banned by the British Raj.
Navdeep Suri, his grandson, decided to translate the poem in english and publish it on the occasion of 100th anniversary of the infamous Jalliawala Bagh Massacre.
.
Ok.. there is an extra chapter written by Justin Rowlatt, the great grandson of Sir Sidney Rowlatt, which is absolute delight to read.

[Sharan Ahluwalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nanak Singh's morbid-beautiful-poetic account of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre is resuscitated by his grandson, Navdeep Suri's strong English translation and supplementary essays and intimate anecdotes about his Grandfather's life and evolution, along with that of the history of India and its brothers and sisters.. And to give a deeper context and perspective, there is even a personal essay by Justin Rowatt- grandson of Sidney Rowlatt himself. Leaving more painful-naked verses to give the context of this beautiful work of literary art.

"Rowlatt Act stirs up a hornet's nest
Gloom spreads like fire across the land,
A smouldering cauldron, this Hindustan,
With bated breath, trying to understand."

....no plaque, no bust, no monument
To mark the place we died, O friends?

"Grief inconsolable melts the toughest of souls. even faces most stoic shed tear after tear."

[Raeha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre was when a large group of Indians met in Jallianwala Bagh not only to peacefully protest British rule, but to also celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaishaki. Nanak Singh was there to peacefully protest the Rowlatt Act (an act that banned public meetings), when the British opened fire for 10 minutes.
This was a beautiful and emotional read. Nanak Singh clearly expressed his thoughts with vivid imagery and colorful language. Although I loved how it was translated by his grandson some of his translations errors made the story a little confusing and hard to read. My favorite poem was "The Gathering in Jallianwala Bagh", this is my favorite poem because it really shows the pain of the family members who lost their loved ones. Overall, this book accurately described the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre using flowy and beautiful language.

[anil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvellous book by the great Nanak Singh.

I can’t believe the poetry tone used by Nanak Singh. The language was so straight and one couldn’t make out whether it’s verse or prose.

I didn’t concentrate on the English translation but focused on the punjabi version written in devnagri script.

I was taken back in time.


The essays were helpful to put context to some events and incidents.

Thank you - Mr Suri.

[Ashwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nanak Singh’s long poem, Khooni Vaisakhi, is a work of immense cultural significance. This fluent rendering of the text by Navdeep Suri makes the poem's revolutionary spirit accessible to those without Punjabi. A rare gift in translated poetry, indeed.

[Yash Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nanak Singh's Khooni Vaisakhi, A Poem from the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919, is not only the painful experience of one of the survivors of that massacre. But, it's also a living document which reveals the barbarity which the British Raj committed with impunity in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. It's a must-read book.

Khooni Vaisakhi is a soul-shaking poem about the horrific Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of April 1919. It was written by Sardar Nanak Singh in 1920. In fact, after its publication in May 1920, the British Raj not only banned the book, but also confiscated all copies. Because, through his words, Nanak Singh wrote about the inhumanity of the British, especially the murderous deeds committed by the infamous Brigadier General Reginald Dyer.

The poem was originally written in the Punjabi language. And the grandson of Nanak Singh, Navdeep Suri, has translated it into English for a wider audience who is not familiar with Punjabi. The book contains both the original poem and its English translation. The language of the book is easy to understand.

This book is an important part of Indian history. And it is a concise book. I strongly recommend this book to all the Indians out there. People of Pakistan and Bangladesh should also read this poem on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.