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Of all elements, the most significant is the element of knowledge. (SGGS 152)

ਵਿਦਿਆ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ਤਾਂ ਪਰਉਪਕਾਰੀ ॥ vidhiaa veechaaree taa(n) paraupakaaree || "Vidiaa veechaaree tan parupkaaree”. That education is good, which is used for the welfare of people. (Guru Nanak Dev Ji, 356)

Contemplate and reflect upon knowledge, and you will become a benefactor to others. (SGGS, 356)

"There is no good in science that won't help people, and there's no good in scholars isolated from people" (Al-Khawarizmi)

I've observed over time that the Sangat, generally-speaking, shows very little interest in books on Sikhi. On the other hand, many Sikhs (academics and ordinary folk) have written and published thousands of books on many aspects of Sikhi, and in Punjabi and in English.

click to watch video

Karamveer Singh appeals to Sikhs to have a library in their home to stimulate a passion for reading books to change their lives (click on the image to see and listen). Karamveer Singh says:
"There is a weakness in our community, we are not used to reading. We can have a bar [alcoholic drinks] in our homes, but we don't have libraries in our homes. If we had libraries and books, we would have a passion for reading.
But we don't have a passion for reading. Today we have a passion to buy big cars and build a bank balance. But I would like to request the community through this channel [Satluj TV], that where you have big houses, where you have expensive houses, build a room in one of those big houses, in the form of a library, where there are thoughts of precious scholars. And by reading those thoughts, we can make a change in our lives." Transcribed from Punjabi to English by TurboScribe.ai. Click on this link to view the full video interview by Satluj TV of Karamveer Singh.

Read books on Sikhi and Sikhism

Browse through the list below, of more than 480 items of literature on Sikhi. Click on "previous" or "forward" (in the bottom left and right corners of a page) to move between pages. Filter your selection using the Categories listed in the box below. Each book entry provides details of the book, such as its title, author, and the gurdwara library where it's located. Check the list regularly for new books added to it.
The list was started on 31 Jan 2025. Currently, only items held at the library at Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall (category: SGSSS) are listed, and only those written primarily in English. In time, I hope to add books held at other local gurdwara libraries, and then books written in Punjabi. I hope other sewadars will compile similar lists so that, ultimately, anyone in any region of any country, will be able to see online what books on Sikhi are available to read at their local gurdwara libraries. To increase the likelihood and ease of the Sangat seeing what books are available locally, local gurdwaras need to cooperate and form a "hub and spoke" network in which the central gurdwara (the "hub") publishes an online list of books held at local gurdwaras (each a "spoke").
To send a message, please click here .
Abbreviations: AG = Adi Granth; GGS = Guru Granth Sahib; DG = Dasam Granth; NS = not stated

Categories (press Ctrl + or - to zoom in or out if fonts are too small)

20/3/2025

Guru Angad Dev

Title: Guru Angad Dev
Author surname(s): Ralhan
Author forename(s): OP
Publisher: Anmol publications
Pages: 242
ISBN: 8174886710
Publn date: 1998 (original publication date: 1998)
Location: shelf 2.4 SGSSS library
Language: English
Preface: yes
Overview: This book is part of a series that provides "an account of their teachings, philosophies, travelogue, their sufferings and sacrifices for their country, their mythological and theological aspects, socio-economic reforms, their political contention and wars with the autocrcacy at their times and many more touching incidents of their lives, miracles which they manifested on several occasions" "These volumes are faithful and sincere narration of the political conditions, social conditions, religious fanaticity of the rulers" This book contains chapters on: Angad Dev; Amar Das; Ram Das; Hargobind; Har Rai and Har Krishan

13/3/2025

Life stories part 2: guru Angad Dev ji guru Amardas ji guru Ramdas ji

Title: Life stories part 2: guru Angad Dev ji guru Amardas ji guru Ramdas ji
Author surname(s): Singh Aulakh
Author forename(s): Ajit
Publisher: B Chattar Singh Jiwan Singh, Amritsar
Pages: 95
ISBN: 817601270x
Publn date: 2005 (original publication date: NS)
Location: shelf 1.6 SGSSS library
Language: English
Preface: no
Overview: A pictiorial book that describes the lives of the gurus; suitable for children

3/3/2025

Atum Rang

Title: Atum Rang
Author surname(s): NS
Author forename(s): NS
Publisher: NS
Pages: 48
ISBN: none
Publn date: various (original publication date: NS)
Location: shelf 15.6 SGSSS library
Language: English
Preface: no
Overview: The title is my transliteration of the Punjabi title. Most articles of this periodical (Feb 2006 edn) are in punjabi, but there is one in E "Guru Granth Sahib and business ethics"
Most articles of this periodical (Aug 2002 edn) are in punjabi, but there are two in E "Sikhism and caste system" and "Ghadr revisited".
Most articles of this periodical (Mar 2002 edn) are in punjabi, but there is two in E "Mirror mirror on the wall" - an article about cutting hair and being regarded as a Sikh, and "Budding vir Jaswant Singh ji"- written by Randhir Singh, about a young convert to Sikhi and his short life.
Most articles of this periodical (Dec 2002 edn) are in punjabi, but there is two in E "The divine symphony" - an article about guru Tegh Bahadur's bani and in particular, about nirgun (a stream of thought), and "The younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh"- about the capture and execution by the mughals of the sons.
Most articles of this periodical (Jun 2002 edn) are in punjabi, but there is two in E "Sikhism" - an article about the life of guru Amar Dass, Sikh views of other religions, its separation from hinduism, and mysticism, and "Guru Arjan Dev-poet prophet and people's king"- about the capture and execution of the guru bu Chandu.
Most articles of this periodical (Nov 2006 edn) are in punjabi, but there is one in E "Baba Dip Singh" - the martyr who tried to free the harimandar at Amritsar from the Turks.
Most articles of this periodical (Oct 2006 edn) are in punjabi, but there is one in E "sri guru Ram Dass's childhood".

3/3/2025

Around the golden temple

Title: Around the golden temple
Author surname(s): Singh
Author forename(s): Narinderjit
Publisher: Jawahar Singh and Kirpal Singh & Co
Pages: 74
ISBN: none
Publn date: NS (original publication date: NS)
Location: shelf 15.3 SGSSS library
Language: English
Preface: no
Overview: The book briefly describes the artwork of the golden temple, and its establishment. It then provides a comparative study of Sikhism, 5Ks, hair, turban, Sikh principles, Sikh shrines in Amritsar, and a biography of Guru Ram Das

26/2/2025

Stories from Sikh history: books 1 & 2

Title: Stories from Sikh history: books 1 & 2
Author surname(s): Singh and Singh Dhillon
Author forename(s): Kartar and Gurdial
Publisher: Hemkunt
Pages: various
ISBN: various
Publn date: various (original publication date: 1971)
Location: various SGSSS library
Language: English
Preface: yes
Overview: Book 1 (published 1980; no ISBN; shelf 13.7) presents stories of the life of Guru Nanak.
Book 2 (published 2008; ISBN 817010016x; shelf 15.6) presents stories of the lives of gurus: Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, and Arjan Dev. There are seven books in the series.

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