The Cosmic Exlosion

In this remarkable collection of over 100 images, the history of the Sikh prowess in war is documented in photographs covering 150 years, supplemented by early prints and paintings. Amandeep Singh Madra and Parmjit Singh trace the spiritual and ethical origins of the Sikh call-to-arms, from the martyrdom and conflict of the Mughal period, which led to the founding of the Khalsa, to the Afghan and Persian invasions. They describe the rise of the Sikh kingdoms and the British Raj and the subsequent Anglo-Sikh wars and document the largely unrecognized contributions of Sikhs in both world wars and in more recent international conflicts. This commentary is complemented by contemporary quotations from the Sikh Gurus and from allies and foes of the Sikh soldiers, while detailed captions add narrative and human detail to the broader history. For general readers interested in the culture of India and military historians alike, this beautifully illustrated work makes essential reading.