Bhai Gurdas Bhalla (d. 1636 CE) is widely considered the most
important non-canonical poet in Sikh history, having shaped the
theology and ethics of the tradition for centuries. His beautiful
poems, which offer an authoritative illustration of Sikh life in
the early seventeenth century, defined Sikh identity during a
tumultuous period of upheaval. In Drinking from Love's Cup
Rahuldeep Gill brings together for the first time a collection of
the revered poet's early work, masterfully translated into English,
along with the original Punjabi text. The magic of Gurdas's poetry,
says Gill, lies in its fusion of Islamicate narrative traditions
with the heroic literature of India to speak about death,
martyrdom, and the spirit's absolution in love. Rhythmic, elegant,
and lucid, the poems weave Sikh scripture into the lyrical fabric
of Sikh spirituality. Challenging traditional scholarship
surrounding the dates of Gurdas's writing, Gill suggests that
Gurdas wrote his poetry to console the Sikh community, which was in
mourning over the execution of the fifth of the Sikh founders, Guru
Arjan (d. 1606), by agents of the Mughal Empire. Ranking among the
best of the Punjabi language troubadours, Gurdas in his verses
immortalized the fifth Guru's role as a martyr. His poems were
written to encourage the faithful to stay involved in the
community, resist hegemony, and reinforce Sikh beliefs during
sectarian upheaval. This book brings a contemporary flair to
Gurdas's moving stanzas, and also unearths fresh insights about his
life and context.
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