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The Sacred Sword
‘We are warriors, Painda. The Khalsa does not think of war as entertainment; death is not a joke, killing men is no festival,’ said Gobind. A boy grows up, suddenly, into adulthood when he is brought the severed head of his father. He is born to rule but never acts like a monarch. Invincible as a warrior, he has the soul of a mystic. Poetry fills his heart. Few men before or after him have used a bow as he does, few men mastered their sword like him. Guru Gobind Singh turned villagers into warriors, sent shivers up the spine of the army of Aurangzeb and set the foundation stone of the great Sikh empire. The Sacred Sword is a historical fiction based on his life and legend.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published July 24, 2017
9 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Hindol Sengupta
14 books87 followersHindol Sengupta (born 1979) is an Indian journalist and entrepreneur, who is the award-winning author of eight books.
In 2017, he was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. His three new upcoming books are a narrative non-fiction, a historical fiction and a history of the free markets in India to be published by Penguin and Simon & Schuster. Among his recent books is the bestselling Being Hindu: Old Faith, New World and You, The Modern Monk: What Vivekananda Means To Us Today, and The Sacred Sword: The Legend of Guru Gobind Singh. He is the youngest winner of the PSF prize for public service, an award won by, among others, the late Indian scientist and President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
In 2017, he was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. His three new upcoming books are a narrative non-fiction, a historical fiction and a history of the free markets in India to be published by Penguin and Simon & Schuster. Among his recent books is the bestselling Being Hindu: Old Faith, New World and You, The Modern Monk: What Vivekananda Means To Us Today, and The Sacred Sword: The Legend of Guru Gobind Singh. He is the youngest winner of the PSF prize for public service, an award won by, among others, the late Indian scientist and President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 4, 2017
Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs has fascinated me. But, unfortunately this biographical novel does him great injustice. There are no insights, and no depth at all in this Puran style book.
Hard to believe it has been written by Hindol Sengupta and published by Penguin.
Hard to believe it has been written by Hindol Sengupta and published by Penguin.
December 24, 2024
The Sacred Sword, and that sword ensured that no one could ever dare to think about annihilating the religion whose foundation was laid by Guru Nanak in the mid-15th century. A must-read book.
When Baba Nanak started preaching about his philosophy of oneness of God, love, acceptance, and humanity. He received opposition from several quarters. But there was no violence towards him as such. However, the religion that he started, i.e., Sikhism, began to attract followers. Slowly and steadily a community started to form. The more his name and fame reached the nooks and corners of the land of Hindustan. It also reached the ears of the then rulers of Hindustan, the Mughals.
Till the time of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar, the relationship with the Sikh Gurus remained cordial. But it changed with the arrival of the Fourth Mughal Badshah, Jahangir. The latter was a sadistic emperor. In fact, the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev, was tortured to death on the orders of Jahangir. And this particular incident became a watershed moment in the history of the Sikhs. And the sadistic legacy of Jahangir was carried forward by his grandson and the sixth Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb did everything to exterminate the Sikhs and their religion. He used various means, both cruel and horrific. But he failed every time. However, he brought the ninth Sikh Guru, Teg Bahadur, to Delhi. Told him to convert to Islam. But the fearless Guru Teg Bahadur ji refused to budge from the faith of Baba Nanak. And Aurangzeb ordered the beheading of the ninth Sikh Guru. This incident is a major turning point in the history of the Sikhs. Because, after that, a young child became the guru. And he gave the Sikhs not only a new identity but also taught them how to face the tyranny of the tyrants with the help of the sacred sword.
What is The Sacred Sword by Hindol Sengupta?
The Sacred Sword, The Legend Of Guru Gobind Singh, is the fearless story of the life and times of the tenth Sikh Guru and his journey from a young child to the establishment of the Khalsa and afterwards.
The language of the book is easy to read. In fact, the writing style of the author needs to be lauded. Within a few hundred pages, the author told the ups and downs of the life of Guru Gobind Singh ji.
When Baba Nanak started preaching about his philosophy of oneness of God, love, acceptance, and humanity. He received opposition from several quarters. But there was no violence towards him as such. However, the religion that he started, i.e., Sikhism, began to attract followers. Slowly and steadily a community started to form. The more his name and fame reached the nooks and corners of the land of Hindustan. It also reached the ears of the then rulers of Hindustan, the Mughals.
Till the time of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar, the relationship with the Sikh Gurus remained cordial. But it changed with the arrival of the Fourth Mughal Badshah, Jahangir. The latter was a sadistic emperor. In fact, the fifth Sikh Guru, Arjan Dev, was tortured to death on the orders of Jahangir. And this particular incident became a watershed moment in the history of the Sikhs. And the sadistic legacy of Jahangir was carried forward by his grandson and the sixth Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb did everything to exterminate the Sikhs and their religion. He used various means, both cruel and horrific. But he failed every time. However, he brought the ninth Sikh Guru, Teg Bahadur, to Delhi. Told him to convert to Islam. But the fearless Guru Teg Bahadur ji refused to budge from the faith of Baba Nanak. And Aurangzeb ordered the beheading of the ninth Sikh Guru. This incident is a major turning point in the history of the Sikhs. Because, after that, a young child became the guru. And he gave the Sikhs not only a new identity but also taught them how to face the tyranny of the tyrants with the help of the sacred sword.
What is The Sacred Sword by Hindol Sengupta?
The Sacred Sword, The Legend Of Guru Gobind Singh, is the fearless story of the life and times of the tenth Sikh Guru and his journey from a young child to the establishment of the Khalsa and afterwards.
The language of the book is easy to read. In fact, the writing style of the author needs to be lauded. Within a few hundred pages, the author told the ups and downs of the life of Guru Gobind Singh ji.
July 28, 2017
Thank you Penguin Random House India for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary - The Sacred Sword chronicles the rise of Guru Gobind Singh, a Sikh warrior to be reckoned with. At the prime age of 9 years, Gobind Rai's childhood came crashing down when his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was assassinated by the Mughals. In order to restore the Sikh faith in the minds of thousands of people, Gobind assumes the position of guru and begins to train villagers. He builds the Khalsa, a group of extraordinary warriors who mirror the values of Sikhism and fight to defend its honor. Despite all of his successes, the northern kings underestimate his power, plotting with Emperor Aurangzeb to defeat the guru. But they too learn by experience, what it is to cross Guru Gobind Singh. Hindol Sengupta's novel merges history and fiction to create an empowering tale.
Review - Historical fiction is one of my all time favourite genres. I have never read anything by Hindol Sengupta, so this one was a pleasant surprise. Even though the author forewarns us that there's a good mixture of fiction in the novel, I found myself rooted to the spot with all of the events I was learning about. I have never been exposed to stories about the Sikh community. And I felt like this book was great in conveying their values, mannerisms and other sensibilities. The fact that their sayings or proverbial phrases were even translated in English was a wonderful addition. You get to understand their religious texts and their perspective about God. Naturally, religion is a major theme in this novel. It poses quite a few questions about the clashing of two religions. In light of their outlook, you find yourself evaluating certain perspectives of yours. Further, the novel also explores elements like war, blind faith etc.
The writing style is refreshing and vivid. For a majority of the novel, I was so inspired by the portrayal of Guru Gobind Singh that I could almost imagine myself as a character in the story. Aurangzeb's depiction did him no good. I wanted to punch him every time his narcissistic persona made an appearance. The battle scenarios were invigorating to say the least. All those who aren't familiar with Hindi or Punjabi terms, fear not; there's a sizable glossary at the end. While the story reflects Guru Gobind Singh's expertise, we are not made privy to how he became so well versed. I would have liked to know about his upbringing and training. That would have made the story more realistic. Some of the poetry included is truly splendid. I really enjoyed reading The Sacred Sword because it was a worthy history lesson devoid of the monotony of textbooks. It is told from the point of view of Gobind and that makes it more special. If you enjoy historical fictions, PICK UP this novel.
What do you get out of it? Invaluable lessons about loyalty, bravery, the Sikh faith and the tyranny of the Mughals. Overall, a good update on Indian history.
Summary - The Sacred Sword chronicles the rise of Guru Gobind Singh, a Sikh warrior to be reckoned with. At the prime age of 9 years, Gobind Rai's childhood came crashing down when his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was assassinated by the Mughals. In order to restore the Sikh faith in the minds of thousands of people, Gobind assumes the position of guru and begins to train villagers. He builds the Khalsa, a group of extraordinary warriors who mirror the values of Sikhism and fight to defend its honor. Despite all of his successes, the northern kings underestimate his power, plotting with Emperor Aurangzeb to defeat the guru. But they too learn by experience, what it is to cross Guru Gobind Singh. Hindol Sengupta's novel merges history and fiction to create an empowering tale.
Review - Historical fiction is one of my all time favourite genres. I have never read anything by Hindol Sengupta, so this one was a pleasant surprise. Even though the author forewarns us that there's a good mixture of fiction in the novel, I found myself rooted to the spot with all of the events I was learning about. I have never been exposed to stories about the Sikh community. And I felt like this book was great in conveying their values, mannerisms and other sensibilities. The fact that their sayings or proverbial phrases were even translated in English was a wonderful addition. You get to understand their religious texts and their perspective about God. Naturally, religion is a major theme in this novel. It poses quite a few questions about the clashing of two religions. In light of their outlook, you find yourself evaluating certain perspectives of yours. Further, the novel also explores elements like war, blind faith etc.
The writing style is refreshing and vivid. For a majority of the novel, I was so inspired by the portrayal of Guru Gobind Singh that I could almost imagine myself as a character in the story. Aurangzeb's depiction did him no good. I wanted to punch him every time his narcissistic persona made an appearance. The battle scenarios were invigorating to say the least. All those who aren't familiar with Hindi or Punjabi terms, fear not; there's a sizable glossary at the end. While the story reflects Guru Gobind Singh's expertise, we are not made privy to how he became so well versed. I would have liked to know about his upbringing and training. That would have made the story more realistic. Some of the poetry included is truly splendid. I really enjoyed reading The Sacred Sword because it was a worthy history lesson devoid of the monotony of textbooks. It is told from the point of view of Gobind and that makes it more special. If you enjoy historical fictions, PICK UP this novel.
What do you get out of it? Invaluable lessons about loyalty, bravery, the Sikh faith and the tyranny of the Mughals. Overall, a good update on Indian history.
August 18, 2017
Throughout my study of Indian history, vide standard text books, I have come across very few references to the Sikhs. One, Guru Nanak as a thinker of the Bhakti era. Two, Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign. Other than this, the rich and inspiring history of the Sikh Gurus is all but absent from mainstream history. Hindol Da's book is a historical fiction, it is by no accounts an academic work. But this page turner (finished it in effectively one sitting) will have great appeal to the lay reader, particularly to younger readers & will help introduce readers to a fascinating facet of the nation's history.
December 16, 2017
Great narration of the life of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh ji.
February 28, 2023
The book is a biographical historical fiction on the life of 10th Sikh Guru Shri Gobind Singh Ji and the events happening around. This is not a novel but a novella. It mainly explored the cruelty of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, the divided and subordinate Hindu governors, the evolution of Khalsa and the description of wars fought by Guru Gobind Singh Ji for the freedom of faith. Though the subject might sound interesting but the author has failed to do justice to the subject by not exploring it better. At many instances you will feel that it is mere narration of a event rather than reflection of time and space which a good historical fiction should have. It moves too fast and fails to maintain synchronisation between the events. As a reader I felt abrupt shifts rather than smooth transition. The exploration of characters is shallow. Characters narrate what they feel instead reflection from the writing. Despite saying that there are a few instances which you fill find emotionally thought provoking. The courage from the Guru's life reflects and touches you. However, as a regular reader you won't like the book in complete and feel in end that "Dude it was a wonderful topic and you had so much to express, but you failed and disappointed.". (Views are personal)
January 20, 2020
Hindol Sengupta is an accomplished writer.
His Being Hindu is an illuminating read. The biography of Swami Vivekananda, The Modern Monk, also makes for a rewarding reading.
Sacred Sword is Sengupta’s attempt at historical fiction based on the life of the last Sikh Guru.
The story of the bravery of Sikhs always makes for engrossing reading. Scared Sword will inspire readers to delve deeper in Sikh history.
But as a work of fiction Sacred Sword is quite mediocre and does not really deserve much comment.
Sengupts’s forte is clearly non-fiction and not fiction.
Readers continue to have high expectations of him.
His Being Hindu is an illuminating read. The biography of Swami Vivekananda, The Modern Monk, also makes for a rewarding reading.
Sacred Sword is Sengupta’s attempt at historical fiction based on the life of the last Sikh Guru.
The story of the bravery of Sikhs always makes for engrossing reading. Scared Sword will inspire readers to delve deeper in Sikh history.
But as a work of fiction Sacred Sword is quite mediocre and does not really deserve much comment.
Sengupts’s forte is clearly non-fiction and not fiction.
Readers continue to have high expectations of him.
September 6, 2019
For someone who lacks an idea about Sikh History, it is a simple and straight forward biography of the 10th Sikh Guru. Without downplaying Aurangzeb's cruelty, it highlights the courage and bravery of the Sikhs in refusing to convert and fighting for what they believed in, including the young children of Guru Gobind Singh.
The Book is a good place to begin with but definitely not recommended for those who have read/ are aware of the Sikh history!
The Book is a good place to begin with but definitely not recommended for those who have read/ are aware of the Sikh history!
February 25, 2019
Great account of a heroic tale
Nicely written account of the great Guru Gobind Singh ji..Moving account of the sacrifices and the valor of the Khalsa that succeeded in driving out the Mughals from Punjab..The fight for freedom of religion and eternal truth is enshrined in the life of the Great Guru Gobind Singh ji..Jo Bole So Nihaal Sat Sri Akal
Nicely written account of the great Guru Gobind Singh ji..Moving account of the sacrifices and the valor of the Khalsa that succeeded in driving out the Mughals from Punjab..The fight for freedom of religion and eternal truth is enshrined in the life of the Great Guru Gobind Singh ji..Jo Bole So Nihaal Sat Sri Akal
June 15, 2018
Thrilling, with a lot of action.
I chose this rating because it tells us about the struggle of Guru Gobind Singh Ji without a Father. He formed the Khalsa and fought against the Mughal king wazir khan. He was almost killed by the filthy dogs of wazir khan.
I chose this rating because it tells us about the struggle of Guru Gobind Singh Ji without a Father. He formed the Khalsa and fought against the Mughal king wazir khan. He was almost killed by the filthy dogs of wazir khan.
May 12, 2019
The story of the founder of Sikhism needs more volume and content. It certainly does not require mere embellishments.
Book is too short and only key stories are presented and that too are rushed through. The book although is enjoyable read.
Book is too short and only key stories are presented and that too are rushed through. The book although is enjoyable read.
September 1, 2021
It's a nice book, shades ample light on all the historical events correctly, in exact order of their occurrence.
But I don't know why it is categorized as fiction, all of the events author wrote are factually true, and everybody in north India knows about them .
But I don't know why it is categorized as fiction, all of the events author wrote are factually true, and everybody in north India knows about them .
November 25, 2019
Overall good book but some important details missed.
The books starts from a great point of time. Everything has been tried to narrated but after 80% completion, the book loses some momentum. Some important details missed in that last part. Overall it depicted almost 90 percent of Guru's life time. Myself being an educated Sikh would appreciate the efforts done for writing a good biography of SAINT-SOLDIER personality person.
The books starts from a great point of time. Everything has been tried to narrated but after 80% completion, the book loses some momentum. Some important details missed in that last part. Overall it depicted almost 90 percent of Guru's life time. Myself being an educated Sikh would appreciate the efforts done for writing a good biography of SAINT-SOLDIER personality person.
September 18, 2020
A good quick read to know the story of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs... and how their religion got formed..
July 1, 2024
Detailed Review - https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/the-sac...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews