Giani Gian Singh as a Historian of the Sikhs:A Critique of his Literary Creations

Abstract

Giani Gian Singh is one of the Sikh scholars who took keen interest in writing the history of the Sikhs. He has produced over a dozen works. For the purpose of better understanding of his interpretation of the Sikh history and religion as well as of the Nirmala history it is essential to know his social background and his literary attainments. Giani Gian Singh lived for the period of almost a century from A.D.1822 to A.D.1921. He was an eye-witness to the rise and fall of the Sikh empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his successors. Before him, the bulk of the serious Sikh Studies had come out in English and Persian, which was not easy for everyone to study. Moreover, historiography remained limited to verse up to the last decade of 19th century and took a significant turn when Sikh history began to be written in prose. The present is an attempt to highlight his works and his contribution to Punjabi literature