Atma: A Romance

Atma is the first novel about Punjab and Sikh History. It is the poignant story of the son of a noble and brve Sirdar, Raee Singh of the Khalsa Fauz. At the time of his death the Sirdar advises his son to pursue the holy ways. The son, Atma Singh works accordingly. It touches various constituents of the Sikh struggle, icluding the defeat, dishonour and the psychology of the decline of the Khalsa Raj through the war of Gugerat. The dream of the faithful is to regain earlier pride and honour. Through the metaphor of the “sapphire of fate” which disappears from the treasure of Emperor Ranjeet Singh, ATMA depicts the overall degeneration and decline of the thought process of the Sikshs and holds the same responsible for their decline. Atma Singh tries to regain the Sapphire but does not succeed in his mission. None could prove oneself equal to the task of regaining the sapphire but does not succeed in his mission. None could prove oneself equal to the task of regaining the sapphire. Everyone feels deprived of earlier pride, power and honour that were once theirs. ATMA is the tragic story of the communitarian grief of the Sikhs, their disgrace and dishonour arising from the ill luck of defeat and decline of their Empire, with a humanistic world view.