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Account Of The Sikhs In 1787 Read Here

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
SikhGyani ji

This is actually a unique find and thanks for sharing it. The thing that makes it interesting is that it is a record of the British East India Company, and for that reason it sheds light on some aspects of the British perceptions. The spellings are at times very quaint. That makes me wonder about the amount of time the author did in fact spend among Sikhs, or whether he is giving a 3rd hand account. Still it is very interesting as a British record.
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Is it Guru Amerdad? or Guru Amardas? That was the type of thing that made me think the writer had indirect knowledge.
 

Chaan Pardesi

Writer
SPNer
Oct 4, 2008
428
772
London & Kuala Lumpur
This is an interesting book.I have some additional copies from that peiord written by various Brit officers of the east India Company.This particular writter had some work in Nagri alphabets[the language could have been hindi, Punjabi or urdu] translated to the more common used Persian at that time and wrote his piece in English.On some other issues he seems to have had direct dealings like meeting some Sikhs, also in that period spelt as Sicks,siks, seekhs, or Siques.

One must understand these brits were hearing the Indian languages for the first time often and spelt as they thought was correct pronounciation they heard in those times.They could not adjust correctly to the typical sounds of Indian languages aand neither were accustomed to them, unlike in the latter years.

It is Guru Amardas; just as JAUT is the current day spelling of Jat, Sutledge is the Satluj, which the british never ever spelt as it sounds.They have spelyt it as Sutlej mostly.Othgers like SINGH is spelt as Sing.It is apparent Khalsa Gee is supposed to be Khalsa Ji, and dull Khalsa is dal Khalsa.

The English language has over the years chnaged dramatically as well.But it was such poor language learnt in in the colonial era that also resulted in a poor transliteration of the Sikh Rehat Maryada by those that spoke the language then.As one analyses that it will become clear the english is incorrect and often direct translations and lack clarity interms of Sikh need to understand.

When I have some time, I will try and share with the sangat some of my collections from the Brtish Imperial War Museum and British libarary literature about Sikhs.
 
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