ENDORSEMENTS
Kamla Kapur has created a Sikh
parallel of Homer's Odyssey in the re-imagining of
its founder's spiritual journey, cleverly recounted in the voice
of a mercurial acolyte. As with that work, the prose melts into
mellifluous poetry, music to the soul. In company with the Sikh
spiritual leader, Guru Nanak, we travel from magical place to magical place
throughout India and are reminded again and again of what values
should inform our life. You wait until the saga is over to exhale and
still wish there were more. A ripping read.
Thomas Hoover, author of Zen
Culture and The Moghul
"Kamla Kapur chooses an innovative
and wondrous way of retelling the eternal truths contained in the life and
teachings of Guru Nanak. Her simple, melodious narrative depicts common human
frailties and deep philosophical complexities with equal ease: The Singing
Guru will delight the mind even as it enlightens the spirit."
Navtej Sarna, author of The Book of Nanak and The Exile
Rich imagination,
anchored by the spirit of the Janamsakhi tradition, brings alive the story of
Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. Kamla Kapur has written a gripping book
in a style that is both simple and lucid. Her reinterpretation of the
Janamsakhis should find wide resonance among readers.
Roopinder Singh, author
of Guru Nanak: His Life and Teachings
The Singing Guru is simply superb!
Surjit Patar, renowned
Punjabi poet
“The Singing Guru
is a fascinating reconstruction of the Purantan Janamsakhi tradition. I
teach a course on South Asian Literary Cultures and a work like this would make
an engaging text for students to read.”
Harpreet Singh,
Department of South Asian Studies, Harvard University
I am filled with utmost
happiness in my heart going through The
Singing Guru and discovering a way to enlightenment. We can only imagine
Guru Nanak singing 500 years ago and I congratulate the author on her
wonderful, enthusiastic story and the underlying music that fills it.
Hans Raj Hans, Punjabi Rock
star and Sufi singer.
“The Singing Guru is
indeed a remarkable work of imagination through which Kamla Kapur brings alive
the story of Guru Nanak in the voice of his lifelong companion Bhai Mardana.
This retelling of Janam-sakhi narratives is breathtaking in scope, refreshingly
innovative and written in accessible style. It will make an interesting read
for both academic and popular audiences. The author deserves our compliments
for her rare achievement.”
Pasahura Singh
Professor and Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh
and Punjabi Studies
University of California, Riverside
