The Sikh Gurus

by Harish Dhillon

The Sikh Gurus

Genres: Nonfiction

296 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2018

Reviews

[Shrihari Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely well-written book. It does a great job of telling the stories of the lives of all 10 Gurus in a manner that is easy to understand and very attention-grabbing. I found the details in the book to be beyond what one can easily find online regarding the Gurus. It provided a lot of finer details regarding their lives, their accomplishments, their relationships, and their struggles - all in flowing, chronological order - making you feel like you are with the Gurus the entire time and are accompanying them on a 200 year-long journey that spans generations, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh.

The book does a good job of narrating historical events while adding realistic dialogue and emotions to add more depth to real events. This added a lot of weight to the more emotional events in the Gurus' lives, such as the martyrdom of Guru Arjan and Guru Tegh Bahadur at the hands of the tyrannical Mughal Empire. The details and imagery of their deaths hit hard. Overall, these events are narrated as stories rather than simply being preached historical accounts, making it much more impactful.

The book covers the evolution of Sikhi - from the initial pacifist community that followed the sadhu Guru Nanak, to the warrior-saints of Guru Gobind Singh's Khalsa. It clearly explains the reasons behind this transformation and the societal backlash encountered during Guru Hargobind's time for forming a Sikh army. The book makes it clear that while the early and later Gurus might seem ideologically different at a glance, a comprehensive understanding of their teachings reveals a consistent message of peace and defense against oppression.

Importantly, the narrative emphasizes that the military engagements of the later Gurus were never about territorial expansion or dominance but were a means to defend the oppressed of all religions, shown by Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice for the Kashmiri Pandits, who begged him to save them from forced conversion to Islam.

This book narrates how exceptional all 10 Gurus were in different ways and that they all taught the same message: that there is one, formless, omnipotent and omniscient God that transcends any one religion.

[Rubal · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

there are some minor factual inaccuracies in the book. but otherwise a good primer.

[Bablu Nonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harish Dhillon's The Sikh Gurus offers a heartfelt and vivid retelling of the lives and teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus. The book provides a well-rounded introduction to Sikhism's evolution, emphasizing the Gurus' values of compassion, equality, and justice.Storytelling is engaging, making history accessible while capturing the spiritual essence of each Guru’s life.
The narrative blends historical context with moral lessons, shedding light on the challenges faced by the Gurus and their resilience in upholding their principles. The portrayal of Guru Nanak's humility, Guru Gobind Singh's valor, and the foundation of the Khalsa are particularly impactful.
While the book is a great primer, it occasionally simplifies complex historical events, which might leave readers seeking more depth. Nevertheless, it serves as an inspiring tribute to the legacy of the Sikh Gurus, making it a meaningful read for those exploring Sikh history and spirituality.

[Bishwaksen Bandyopadhyay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read.
In the introduction/foreword, the author has commented thats its just a simple retelling meant more for the younger reads, and he has stuck to his ideas. He has kept himself away from useless ornamentation and flowery composition - something a lot of authors do in order to sound highbrow - and have used a very simple unpretentious style that was very enjoyable to read. Its also kind of feels like a homage and true to the spirit and teachings of the early Gurus who preferred to use the everyday language of the common people rather than the court or classical languages to communicate.

[D David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time and used three years to get though it, and really loved the Sikh story and history of the ten (elleven) Gurus. I think the actual version I read is a different one, I got it during my first visit at Guru Harminder Sahib from a souvenir store directly from the author of the book himself wonderful experience & a very memorial moment indeed. The book I got has a different cover photo, and is about 300 pages thick.

[Ravinder Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a very informative book on the life of Sikh gurus. Although, it is a brief one I recommend this to read first before digging deep into each guru's life.

[Rohit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the way it has been written. Although this is history and could have been boring, the writing style makes it a very interesting read. Highly recommend it.

[Sumeet Singh Sumo · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who wants to know everything about Sikh gurus without exaggeration, this is the perfect book . Although this is short but it gives you a certain sense of the lives of the gurus.

[Simr · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A well researched and engagingly written book about the history of Sikh Gurus. Offering deeper understanding of the past.

[Yash Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sikh Gurus : A Concise History
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"Asceticism doesn't lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike. Asceticism doesn't lie in visiting burial places; it lies not in wandering about nor in bathing at places of pilgrimage. Asceticism is to remain pure amidst impurities ."

- Guru Nanak



The Sikh Gurus is a concisely written, and elegantly narrated stories of the life and times of the Sikh Gurus. And within a few hundred pages the author of this book unravelled the history of the Sikhism.

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