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Walking with Nanak: Travels in his Footsteps
Haroon Khalid’s lifelong fascination with Guru Nanak was reignited when he came upon Baburbani, a poem written by the saint. This, and the discovery that Guru Nanak spent a large part of his life in Pakistan, inspired Khalid to undertake a journey that he hoped would help him learn more about the revered founder of Sikhism.
In this wonderful paean to Guru Nanak, Khalid describes his travels across the length and breadth of Pakistan as he visits the many gurdwaras and other locales associated with the saint, delving into their history and musing about their place and significance in a Muslim country. But this book is not merely a story about gurdwaras, it is also a re-telling of the story of Nanak the son, the poet, the wanderer, the father, the friend. Sifting through the stories of his miracles and poetry, we emerge with a picture of Nanak, the man.
Also exploring the histories of all the subsequent Gurus after Nanak, the book traces the story of how an unorganized spiritual movement evolved into the institutionalized Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh. Through the journeys of all the Gurus, the book describes how Nanak the poet became Guru Nanak the saint.
In this wonderful paean to Guru Nanak, Khalid describes his travels across the length and breadth of Pakistan as he visits the many gurdwaras and other locales associated with the saint, delving into their history and musing about their place and significance in a Muslim country. But this book is not merely a story about gurdwaras, it is also a re-telling of the story of Nanak the son, the poet, the wanderer, the father, the friend. Sifting through the stories of his miracles and poetry, we emerge with a picture of Nanak, the man.
Also exploring the histories of all the subsequent Gurus after Nanak, the book traces the story of how an unorganized spiritual movement evolved into the institutionalized Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh. Through the journeys of all the Gurus, the book describes how Nanak the poet became Guru Nanak the saint.
316 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
November 27, 2017
In this age of right wing nationalism and religious extremism,its soothing to read a beautiful religious travelogue. Walking with Nanak is a well written and presented book.The author touched a very sensitive subject,properly researched it and kept controversy away from his text.These reasons are enough to rate the book four stars.But I am adding an extra star just for the content.There are three stories which run parallel to each other- Guru Nanak's journey,the author's journey and the short history of gurus from last to first.In the last chapter,all these three stories combine to conclude the book which in a way spreads the religious message of Nanak.
I would recommend this book for all of you wanting a change in reading material.
I would recommend this book for all of you wanting a change in reading material.
July 5, 2020
Guru Nanak : The Spiritual Master
----------------------------
There is but One God. His name is Truth; He is the Creator. He fears none; he is without hate. He never dies; He is beyond the cycle of births and death. He is self-illuminated. He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning; He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True. He is also True now.
- Guru Nanak
Walking with Nanak, is beautifully written and a well researched religious travelogue by a man who belongs to a country where people wears religion on their sleeves. And the country here is Pakistan, where Guru Nanak spent most of his Life.
For the detailed review you can also visit -
https://dontbignorant.in/guru-nanak-t...
----------------------------
There is but One God. His name is Truth; He is the Creator. He fears none; he is without hate. He never dies; He is beyond the cycle of births and death. He is self-illuminated. He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru. He was True in the beginning; He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True. He is also True now.
- Guru Nanak
Walking with Nanak, is beautifully written and a well researched religious travelogue by a man who belongs to a country where people wears religion on their sleeves. And the country here is Pakistan, where Guru Nanak spent most of his Life.
For the detailed review you can also visit -
https://dontbignorant.in/guru-nanak-t...
August 21, 2021
Honestly, looking back I did enjoy reading this book and I have to admit I had learned a lot from it. Would I recommend it to others? To be honest, yeah I think I would. Haroon Khalid does a great job exploring Pakistan and taking readers on this spiritual journey to places where Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru, had visited during his own travels. The author and his trusted companion ( An interesting parallel that i'll soon get into) visited different Shrines and Guadwara's (Sikh Temple) both abandoned and used by worshippers in order to get a sense of the Sikh community still residing in Pakistan and also to understand the first Guru more.
Unfortunately the sad reality is the great partition of India and Pakistan not only displaced and destroyed the lives of humans from both nations it also left many old institutions and religious monuments to ruin. As mentioned many of the Guardwara's left on the Pakistan side of the border have been abandoned or not looked well after which has caused it to become destroyed from within. Also, a lot of them have been vandalized too or are dens and shelter to druggies, thieves and bandits. This surprised me and also made me feel sad that the nation couldn't look after these religious monuments. However for the ones that are still being used many of the Sikh Temple custodians have it pretty rough because they are forced to live in poverty and get little to no funding from the government. It's a sad reality to see that an imaginary border constructed by suited men in a room somewhere in 1947 can have everlasting effects on its people, architecture and religion.
I did however enjoy reading the parts of the book where he spoke about the Guru's life from the first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the last, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. However one issues I did find in the authors writing is that he attempted to take away the magical or mystical elements of the religion. He tried to make some things sound logical or downplayed certain events which honestly kind of annoyed me because then he would talk about other religious miracles as being sound but anything Sikh related he would denounce. This happened frequently throughout the book.
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book and I would still recommend it to someone to read but there are still a lot of issues with it that I am still kind of annoyed by. For someone who wanted to learn about Sikhism this book fails to teach you much of it but instead criticizes it whereas someone whose already familiar with a lot of Sikh history this book might interest them.
and looking back I did enjoy reading this book but I did have a lot of issues with it as well.
Unfortunately the sad reality is the great partition of India and Pakistan not only displaced and destroyed the lives of humans from both nations it also left many old institutions and religious monuments to ruin. As mentioned many of the Guardwara's left on the Pakistan side of the border have been abandoned or not looked well after which has caused it to become destroyed from within. Also, a lot of them have been vandalized too or are dens and shelter to druggies, thieves and bandits. This surprised me and also made me feel sad that the nation couldn't look after these religious monuments. However for the ones that are still being used many of the Sikh Temple custodians have it pretty rough because they are forced to live in poverty and get little to no funding from the government. It's a sad reality to see that an imaginary border constructed by suited men in a room somewhere in 1947 can have everlasting effects on its people, architecture and religion.
I did however enjoy reading the parts of the book where he spoke about the Guru's life from the first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the last, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. However one issues I did find in the authors writing is that he attempted to take away the magical or mystical elements of the religion. He tried to make some things sound logical or downplayed certain events which honestly kind of annoyed me because then he would talk about other religious miracles as being sound but anything Sikh related he would denounce. This happened frequently throughout the book.
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book and I would still recommend it to someone to read but there are still a lot of issues with it that I am still kind of annoyed by. For someone who wanted to learn about Sikhism this book fails to teach you much of it but instead criticizes it whereas someone whose already familiar with a lot of Sikh history this book might interest them.
and looking back I did enjoy reading this book but I did have a lot of issues with it as well.
February 6, 2017
Refreshingly original, breezy and honest, this book deals with the travels of Guru Nanak. Though it doesn't cover all his travels (nanak travelled for over 27 years and in multiple countries many of which are war-torn now), the author manages most of the sites in pakistan. Smoothly transitioning between back stories and his continuing search, he weaves a thread of narration that is compelling, easy to read and informative.
Some of the conditions of the shrines in Pakistan makes you cringe, and accept the frivolous nature of our attempts at permanence and immortality. Much like In Search Of Zarathustra by Paul Kriwaczek in concept, but not in content, the author attempts a journey most difficult and perhaps only possible because of access as a muslim.
Some of the conditions of the shrines in Pakistan makes you cringe, and accept the frivolous nature of our attempts at permanence and immortality. Much like In Search Of Zarathustra by Paul Kriwaczek in concept, but not in content, the author attempts a journey most difficult and perhaps only possible because of access as a muslim.
December 1, 2018
Walking with Nanak is really fascinating book of some travelogue sort of book which Proselytized the essence of minority history in Pakistan. My favorite was first chapter which i read almost 100s of times . we as the disciple of the same never realized about the days before Guru Nanak's birth . The way he illustrated the scenario of Mata Tripti and Mehta kalu plus the whole dichotomy between them before the birth.
It's really a worth read
It's really a worth read
April 28, 2020
It mingles the past with the contemporary world in its true essence. The book, for me, is walking with Khalid too.
March 14, 2021
I wanted to love this book but ended up only liking it. The author Haroon Khalid is a professor and freelance journalist( he also writes a column for scroll.in); what intrigued me is that he is a Pakistani and a practising Muslim, yet he chose to write about Nanak. He faced a lot of criticism from his countrymen; some have called him a kafir(an infidel) and an anti-national. I respect his courage for his commitment to keep writing about Sikhism while staying in Pakistan.
Haroon travels with his mentor Iqbal Qaiser tracing Nanak's path . Just like Nanak moved with constant companion Mardana, Haroon is never without his mentor Iqbal. Most chapters begin by giving historical context of the place and why it was important in Nanak's journey; a description follows it detailing the current status of the place. My problem with this book was it did not follow any chronological order. The author suddenly jumps 100 years and then tracks back 300 years. It got very confusing sometimes; there was a lot of information in the book, but it was very scattered. The author spent a lot of time describing how he reaches his destinations. Given the fact that I might never visit Pakistan, those details felt unnecessary to me. But the author has made me curious about Sikhism. I want to understand how Sikhism transformed with political conditions.
Haroon travels with his mentor Iqbal Qaiser tracing Nanak's path . Just like Nanak moved with constant companion Mardana, Haroon is never without his mentor Iqbal. Most chapters begin by giving historical context of the place and why it was important in Nanak's journey; a description follows it detailing the current status of the place. My problem with this book was it did not follow any chronological order. The author suddenly jumps 100 years and then tracks back 300 years. It got very confusing sometimes; there was a lot of information in the book, but it was very scattered. The author spent a lot of time describing how he reaches his destinations. Given the fact that I might never visit Pakistan, those details felt unnecessary to me. But the author has made me curious about Sikhism. I want to understand how Sikhism transformed with political conditions.
January 9, 2022
Amazing book by Haroon Khalid more amazing for a Pakistani Muslim to write such a detailed book on Nanak - following him to the places he visited in fourteen hundreds and covering his major Gurudwaras in Pakistan. More amazing is the fact how Khalid embraces secularism and liberalism through his book in an era of Right / Nationalist dominating world. Have to give him all the stars that are available.
December 24, 2021
A refreshing travelogue interspersed with Guru Nanak’s poetry/philosophy/teachings. It covers all the places Nanak had visited in Pakistan and throws light on the way various Gurudwaras are either destroyed or poorly maintained in Pakistan. However, it is the philosophical discussions in the book which kept me hooked till the end.
June 13, 2017
Very Well written!
Very nicely written book. This was my first book about Guru Nanak. Picked just by chance. I wanted to read about Guru Nanakji and found this one. It was a mesmerising journey. I loved your writing style Haroon Sir. Hats off to you both. Also, it was great knowing about Iqbal sir as well. Ovation to both of you for your knowledge, the quest of knowledge and dedication for the research. This journey wouldn't have been an easy one. The difficulties at every path were felt while reading. Being Maharashtrian, I was not aware much about Nanak ji and thanks for explaining every event of his life in detail and without accepting any superstitious beliefs about miracles. His humbleness was overwhelming. Such a great Saint. Pranams to Guru Nanak ji.
The path of compassion and truth is the only True Path. And everyone should follow the same.
Thanks again for doing this research, walking on the footprints of Nanak ji. With your writing, felt I was also walking with Nanak ji. You two were felt really like Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana. Roaming through. _/\_
Very nicely written book. This was my first book about Guru Nanak. Picked just by chance. I wanted to read about Guru Nanakji and found this one. It was a mesmerising journey. I loved your writing style Haroon Sir. Hats off to you both. Also, it was great knowing about Iqbal sir as well. Ovation to both of you for your knowledge, the quest of knowledge and dedication for the research. This journey wouldn't have been an easy one. The difficulties at every path were felt while reading. Being Maharashtrian, I was not aware much about Nanak ji and thanks for explaining every event of his life in detail and without accepting any superstitious beliefs about miracles. His humbleness was overwhelming. Such a great Saint. Pranams to Guru Nanak ji.
The path of compassion and truth is the only True Path. And everyone should follow the same.
Thanks again for doing this research, walking on the footprints of Nanak ji. With your writing, felt I was also walking with Nanak ji. You two were felt really like Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana. Roaming through. _/\_
August 9, 2020
My encounter with this book was almost like a travel where you stumble upon the unexpected gems. In a random conversation with a random person, this name sprang up to me and I ended up buying just because there was a free kindle version on Amazon prime. And I had been reluctant to read it thinking that it is a religious book on a religion I don't know much about and also skeptical as it is written by a Pakistani muslim.
And this book proved all my preconceived notions and bias wrong. And that too beautifully.
It's a travelogue which teaches about the evolution of a religion and about spritual discourse of a person I didn't know much about.
Through this book I tried to get a glimpse of a saint's life, the origins and evolution of a religion, minorities in Pakistan and the narratives we often come across in our socio-cultural life.
Definitely a must read!
And this book proved all my preconceived notions and bias wrong. And that too beautifully.
It's a travelogue which teaches about the evolution of a religion and about spritual discourse of a person I didn't know much about.
Through this book I tried to get a glimpse of a saint's life, the origins and evolution of a religion, minorities in Pakistan and the narratives we often come across in our socio-cultural life.
Definitely a must read!
September 27, 2018
Imagine this - a Pakistani Muslim journalist with a fascination for the life and history of the Sikh Guru Nanak, decides to retrace Nanak's footsteps in all the significant sites that are located in Pakistan. Sadly, he cannot travel to those sites in what is now India. But Khalid tells such a lovely story. Every chapter starts off with the legend or story surrounding a site, and then Khalid visits it and brings it to life - confirming or discounting parts of the legend. Along the way he unfolds the stories and politics of the Sikh Gurus as historical, rather than spiritual, figures. I think this is the best book on Sikh Gurus and history I have ever read - it is clear-eyed and rational and stays away from hagiography, and it has made me admire Nanak more than ever.
November 24, 2020
If you want to know about the origin of Sikhism, or how was the founder 'Guru Nanak' as a person, and what brought about his teachings, this is a must read book.
The book though is written by a non-hindu non-sikh, I commend the writer for the unbiased outlook and coverage of all specifics and even the folklore. The author's mentor Iqbal also plays a big role in the completion of this book, and the renewal of the intrest in the gurudwaras of Pakistan.
Overall a great book,that brought me closer to Guru Nanak, showed me his walks across the length and breadth of India. It's a story told in a very nice manner that ties the history of Nanak and the present day historians searching for more in his footsteps.
The book though is written by a non-hindu non-sikh, I commend the writer for the unbiased outlook and coverage of all specifics and even the folklore. The author's mentor Iqbal also plays a big role in the completion of this book, and the renewal of the intrest in the gurudwaras of Pakistan.
Overall a great book,that brought me closer to Guru Nanak, showed me his walks across the length and breadth of India. It's a story told in a very nice manner that ties the history of Nanak and the present day historians searching for more in his footsteps.
December 18, 2019
Title: Walking with Nanak
Author: Haroon Khalid
Length: 314 pages
Publisher: Tranquebar
Publication Date: January 28, 2018
Genre: Travelogue, Historical, Non-Fiction
My rating: 5/5
Summary:
The book is a travelogue cum memoir undertaken by the author wherein he travelled to all the places where Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs travelled. The book also has the tales associated with Guru Nanak and also the 9 other Gurus of Sikhs.
My Take:
I was offered this book as a part of free book for the month being an Amazon Prime member. I am absolutely in love with this book which made me undertake a journey taken by Guru Nanak and in whose ideologies I totally believe in.
Maximum shrines associated with Guru Nanak are a part of Pakistan today. Author did a fabulous job of visiting those places and reporting the reality of these places post partition of India and Pakistan. Each and every shrine has a story associated with it and they are narrated brilliantly bringing to life the era of Guru Nanak Devji.
I did believe in Guru Nanak as am born in a Punjabi family, however I have now started worshipping him more than ever before. The ideologies presented in the book of Guru Nanak are what I always questioned and believed.
Though I did feel a bit sad reading about the condition of all the shrines associated with Guru Nanak in Pakistan today. In fact I wasn’t even aware that there are so many places where the Shrines are located. I would have loved to visit those places but reading the pitiful condition I would refrain.
I loved the way the author has narrated the stories in a neutral manner. The book also takes us through a brief journey of all the 9 Gurus of Sikh religion. It also depicts the changes ideologies of Sikh religion today compared to what Guru Nanak preached.
I loved this book and this book would always remain in my memory as a brilliant book.
Author: Haroon Khalid
Length: 314 pages
Publisher: Tranquebar
Publication Date: January 28, 2018
Genre: Travelogue, Historical, Non-Fiction
My rating: 5/5
Summary:
The book is a travelogue cum memoir undertaken by the author wherein he travelled to all the places where Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs travelled. The book also has the tales associated with Guru Nanak and also the 9 other Gurus of Sikhs.
My Take:
I was offered this book as a part of free book for the month being an Amazon Prime member. I am absolutely in love with this book which made me undertake a journey taken by Guru Nanak and in whose ideologies I totally believe in.
Maximum shrines associated with Guru Nanak are a part of Pakistan today. Author did a fabulous job of visiting those places and reporting the reality of these places post partition of India and Pakistan. Each and every shrine has a story associated with it and they are narrated brilliantly bringing to life the era of Guru Nanak Devji.
I did believe in Guru Nanak as am born in a Punjabi family, however I have now started worshipping him more than ever before. The ideologies presented in the book of Guru Nanak are what I always questioned and believed.
Though I did feel a bit sad reading about the condition of all the shrines associated with Guru Nanak in Pakistan today. In fact I wasn’t even aware that there are so many places where the Shrines are located. I would have loved to visit those places but reading the pitiful condition I would refrain.
I loved the way the author has narrated the stories in a neutral manner. The book also takes us through a brief journey of all the 9 Gurus of Sikh religion. It also depicts the changes ideologies of Sikh religion today compared to what Guru Nanak preached.
I loved this book and this book would always remain in my memory as a brilliant book.
January 9, 2021
A man with the radical idea of not being a radical in either religion, this book talks about how this man, leaving aside the possible later addition to his story i.e. miracles, was still the great man we thought he was.
May 25, 2020
A fictionalised account of Nanak's travels throughout the subcontinent running along with the author's own journey through these places the Guru visited or stayed at, the book is a blend of travel memoir, selective literature summary of sorts of the Janamsakhis and other prominent literature on the Guru and brief life summaries of the nine Gurus following Nanak.
The travel experiences have no doubt been painstakingly gained by the author along with his Guru in the quest Iqbal Qaiser - a parallel with Nanak's journey itself the author doesn't fail to draw on multiple occasions. With the kind of details procured on various places of significance and the summarised interviews with the locals surrounding the places/caretakers of the places this book surpasses any travel experience one could gain in first person if embarking on such a journey. Also noteworthy is the fact that Haroon, being a Muslim traveling in the Muslim radicalized Pakistan (based on his own description of events) still managed to gather such data on a religious minority whose culture is being intentionally and unintentionally wiped out gradually, and presented it in a manner devoid of unnecessary bias or conjecture as can be expected when coming out of a prejudiced society.
Yet, I feel the narrative had a potential to be much better:
- The blend of multiple narrations running in parallel was probably an undertaking Haroon couldn't efficienntly handle. I failed to be able to draw a linear picture of Nanak's (and even Haroon's) travels and experiences by the end, even though a lot of valuable information could be gathered from the reading.
- The same is true for the narratives on the Sikh Gurudom and individual chapters on the following Gurus. I understand that a dedicated section to the Gurudom history would have probably been a misfit in this travelogue format and the periodic dose of information does make the narrative somewhat episodic and interesting. But the reverse narrative of the Gurus, for one, made no sense to me and added unnecessary complexity as well as redundancy of writing to the book as the reverse narratives overlapped.
- I also found the book somewhat lacking in terms of editing and presentation. The tiles could have been better labelled and referenced in the text and also weren't in the order they become relevant in the text. And possibly an index could also have been added to ease referencing information shared in the previous chapters - which was sizeable.
My criticism, thus summarised, stems partially from the fact that it's a huge undertaking and a fruit of immense hardwork and I would have loved to see this in a more mature form. My appreciation for this work also leads to heightened expectation.
Overall, this a very informative and engaging read. Though it doesn't give a linear and clear picture of the subject matter, it touches upon various aspects surrounding Sikhism in a compact volume while opening up an opportunity to further read about each of them in greater detail. It has a sweet balance of Nanak the relatable human, Nanak the poet and Nanak the reformer without getting preachy or adding unnecessary personal flavour to it. Or maybe - whatever personal interpretations were added, I liked.
The travel experiences have no doubt been painstakingly gained by the author along with his Guru in the quest Iqbal Qaiser - a parallel with Nanak's journey itself the author doesn't fail to draw on multiple occasions. With the kind of details procured on various places of significance and the summarised interviews with the locals surrounding the places/caretakers of the places this book surpasses any travel experience one could gain in first person if embarking on such a journey. Also noteworthy is the fact that Haroon, being a Muslim traveling in the Muslim radicalized Pakistan (based on his own description of events) still managed to gather such data on a religious minority whose culture is being intentionally and unintentionally wiped out gradually, and presented it in a manner devoid of unnecessary bias or conjecture as can be expected when coming out of a prejudiced society.
Yet, I feel the narrative had a potential to be much better:
- The blend of multiple narrations running in parallel was probably an undertaking Haroon couldn't efficienntly handle. I failed to be able to draw a linear picture of Nanak's (and even Haroon's) travels and experiences by the end, even though a lot of valuable information could be gathered from the reading.
- The same is true for the narratives on the Sikh Gurudom and individual chapters on the following Gurus. I understand that a dedicated section to the Gurudom history would have probably been a misfit in this travelogue format and the periodic dose of information does make the narrative somewhat episodic and interesting. But the reverse narrative of the Gurus, for one, made no sense to me and added unnecessary complexity as well as redundancy of writing to the book as the reverse narratives overlapped.
- I also found the book somewhat lacking in terms of editing and presentation. The tiles could have been better labelled and referenced in the text and also weren't in the order they become relevant in the text. And possibly an index could also have been added to ease referencing information shared in the previous chapters - which was sizeable.
My criticism, thus summarised, stems partially from the fact that it's a huge undertaking and a fruit of immense hardwork and I would have loved to see this in a more mature form. My appreciation for this work also leads to heightened expectation.
Overall, this a very informative and engaging read. Though it doesn't give a linear and clear picture of the subject matter, it touches upon various aspects surrounding Sikhism in a compact volume while opening up an opportunity to further read about each of them in greater detail. It has a sweet balance of Nanak the relatable human, Nanak the poet and Nanak the reformer without getting preachy or adding unnecessary personal flavour to it. Or maybe - whatever personal interpretations were added, I liked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2020
It seems reading the book “Guru Nanak” by Harish Dhillon fanned my hunger to know more and more about the eternal Guru. That’s when browsing through literature on Sikhism, I stumbled upon “Walking with Nanak” by Haroon Khalid.
Haroon Khalid truly discovered Guru Nanak for the first time through his mentor Iqbal Qaiser (another renowned author) who recited Babur Bani to him. The poem written by Guru Nanak had a profound impact on Khalid. This, and the discovery that Guru Nanak spent a large part of his life in Pakistan, inspired Khalid to undertake a journey that he hoped would help him learn more about the revered founder of Sikhism.
In this wonderful paean to Guru Nanak, Khalid describes his travels across the length and breadth of Pakistan as he visits the many Gurdwaras and other locales associated with the saint, delving into their history and musing about their place and significance in a Muslim country. So vivid is Khalid’s narrative that once immersed in the book, you’ll feel no less than Khalid’s companion on the journey.
But this book in not merely a documentary on Gurdwaras, it is also a re-telling of the story of Nanak the son, the poet, the wanderer, the father, the friend. Having read previously the detailed accounts of Nanak’s childhood, adolescence and adulthood in Dhillon’s book, my mind involuntarily hopped between the two narratives, taking a pause to reflect upon the happenings, and most importantly trying to imbibe the spiritual essence of any given incident. The beautiful collection of various poems/hymns composed by Guru Nanak and Baba Farid will leave you awe inspired. There were times I had to read the poem over & over again to fathom its true essence. With each reading my reverence for the eternal Guru increased manifold.
Also exploring the histories of all the subsequent Gurus after Nanak, the book traces the story of how an unorganized spiritual movement (started by Nanak) evolved into the institutionalized Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh. Through the journeys of all the Gurus, the book describes how Nanak the poet became Guru Nanak the saint.
Haroon Khalid truly discovered Guru Nanak for the first time through his mentor Iqbal Qaiser (another renowned author) who recited Babur Bani to him. The poem written by Guru Nanak had a profound impact on Khalid. This, and the discovery that Guru Nanak spent a large part of his life in Pakistan, inspired Khalid to undertake a journey that he hoped would help him learn more about the revered founder of Sikhism.
In this wonderful paean to Guru Nanak, Khalid describes his travels across the length and breadth of Pakistan as he visits the many Gurdwaras and other locales associated with the saint, delving into their history and musing about their place and significance in a Muslim country. So vivid is Khalid’s narrative that once immersed in the book, you’ll feel no less than Khalid’s companion on the journey.
But this book in not merely a documentary on Gurdwaras, it is also a re-telling of the story of Nanak the son, the poet, the wanderer, the father, the friend. Having read previously the detailed accounts of Nanak’s childhood, adolescence and adulthood in Dhillon’s book, my mind involuntarily hopped between the two narratives, taking a pause to reflect upon the happenings, and most importantly trying to imbibe the spiritual essence of any given incident. The beautiful collection of various poems/hymns composed by Guru Nanak and Baba Farid will leave you awe inspired. There were times I had to read the poem over & over again to fathom its true essence. With each reading my reverence for the eternal Guru increased manifold.
Also exploring the histories of all the subsequent Gurus after Nanak, the book traces the story of how an unorganized spiritual movement (started by Nanak) evolved into the institutionalized Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh. Through the journeys of all the Gurus, the book describes how Nanak the poet became Guru Nanak the saint.
October 18, 2021
The book is a success on multiple levels. It gives us an idea of Nanak as a man -- a man with a home, a man who broke away from conventional life and did not live up to his family's expectations. It's a hard task to strip away the myths and get past the hagiography. Imagination and intuition must necessarily fill in many gaps, and we cannot be sure that the final portrait is accurate. Still, to portray Nanak was one of Haroon Khalid's objectives, and in this he succeeds.
Then, the book helped me understand how it happened that "Nanak vehemently spoke against organised religion and yet today, the religion that is attributed to him is one of the most prominent organised religions in the world." Haroon Khalid draws attention to the dramatic changes in the nature of the Gurus. The fakeer-like Guru Nanak has little in common with the regal, jewelled Guru Gobind Singh with his falcon and weapons.
Haroon Khalid also describes his visits to places associated with Nanak in an attempt to follow in Nanak's footsteps (by car though, not on foot) One realises that sometimes there is almost nothing to see when he gets there! Still, I don't mind reading mundane details about Haroon Khalid's travels - it's always good to learn more about our unreachable neighbour Pakistan. Of course, all the destinations are not non-descript disappointments. I also learnt about some sites and shrines - Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu - that seem quite spectacular.
Finally, the book acquainted me with Nanak's poetry, which is brilliant even in translation. I will certainly read or hear the hymns in the original Punjabi.
For all these reasons, I persevered through the book. The book becomes more engaging as you progress through it; the last few chapters are the most absorbing.
Then, the book helped me understand how it happened that "Nanak vehemently spoke against organised religion and yet today, the religion that is attributed to him is one of the most prominent organised religions in the world." Haroon Khalid draws attention to the dramatic changes in the nature of the Gurus. The fakeer-like Guru Nanak has little in common with the regal, jewelled Guru Gobind Singh with his falcon and weapons.
Haroon Khalid also describes his visits to places associated with Nanak in an attempt to follow in Nanak's footsteps (by car though, not on foot) One realises that sometimes there is almost nothing to see when he gets there! Still, I don't mind reading mundane details about Haroon Khalid's travels - it's always good to learn more about our unreachable neighbour Pakistan. Of course, all the destinations are not non-descript disappointments. I also learnt about some sites and shrines - Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu - that seem quite spectacular.
Finally, the book acquainted me with Nanak's poetry, which is brilliant even in translation. I will certainly read or hear the hymns in the original Punjabi.
For all these reasons, I persevered through the book. The book becomes more engaging as you progress through it; the last few chapters are the most absorbing.
August 6, 2018
The books captures beautifully the journey of Guru Nanak and his accomplice, Bhai Mardana, over the course of 24 years. Nanak searched for the middle path and looked throughout his life for a path between two major religions around him: Hinduism and Islam. The book also traces other Gurus after Nanak and how Sikhism Also ended up become an organised religion like most of the other ones. In the face of the Mughal onslaught in India, the religious has to adopt militirasiation of its religion based on what was needed at the time. Three-four major Gurus were assassinated by the Mughal kingdoms and that was one of the reasons why Sikhism changed and adopted Khalsa by the time Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and the final Guru, died.
Two things stand out for me: Nanak's journey to Katas Raj, group of temples in Karachi (formerly Kalaochi) surrounding a pond in the shape of an eye drop said to be an eye drop of Lord Shiva. One place to visit in the future :)
Two things stand out for me: Nanak's journey to Katas Raj, group of temples in Karachi (formerly Kalaochi) surrounding a pond in the shape of an eye drop said to be an eye drop of Lord Shiva. One place to visit in the future :)
December 4, 2017
It’s a beautiful book, and it’s just not about the beautiful picture on the book but the journeys that you take along with the book.
Mesmerized and it takes us back in time. My most favorite chapter is the No.14 Not Enough Hindu. The conversation between the captain of the ship and Nanak is something that touched my heart. And although I am not Sikh I equally love Nanak for this preaching of love. The discovery of divinity within us is the right way to move forward in life. It just doesn’t matter what religion I belong to, all that matters is how much humanity I practice in my day to day life.
Also the authors shared his experience on 257 is exactly how I disregard people who make money in the name of god and messengers. You see all kinds of babas and fakir who talk sweetly just to get some money out of us.
Our unwanted wishes and greed are the reason why we are exploited in the name of religion, country etc. Haroon is so right about “otherization” and forced nationalism.
Mesmerized and it takes us back in time. My most favorite chapter is the No.14 Not Enough Hindu. The conversation between the captain of the ship and Nanak is something that touched my heart. And although I am not Sikh I equally love Nanak for this preaching of love. The discovery of divinity within us is the right way to move forward in life. It just doesn’t matter what religion I belong to, all that matters is how much humanity I practice in my day to day life.
Also the authors shared his experience on 257 is exactly how I disregard people who make money in the name of god and messengers. You see all kinds of babas and fakir who talk sweetly just to get some money out of us.
Our unwanted wishes and greed are the reason why we are exploited in the name of religion, country etc. Haroon is so right about “otherization” and forced nationalism.
May 3, 2019
Haroon Khalid has taken us through the journey along with Guru Nanak. I'm amazed at the author's passion for knowing more about Guru Nanak. In today's world when communities are fighting against each other, Haroon Khalid helps in spreading Guru Nanak 's message. We have seemed to lost touch with our legacy that we inherited from Guru Nanak but Haroon Khalid shows us the way. Beautifully written book.
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July 17, 2018In the era of religious bigotry and frivolous idolatry, it is refreshing to read a book which is beyond sensationalism, myths, and miracle. What Haroon Khalid has conveyed in the book is the human side of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's life along with his teachings to the society.
November 13, 2020
Very interesting to read about Guru Nanak from a non-sikhs perspective. Also very sad to read about the condition of gurdwaras in Pakistan but it's nice that there are people who are trying to improve them :)
November 1, 2017
The novel traces Guru Nanak’s and Bhai Mardana’s travels across various countries. Also running parallel are the stories of Sikh rulers and the author’s travels to the shrines based in present day Pakistan where Nanak is supposed to have visited.
The novel feeds off Haroon Khalid’s fascination about Guru Nanak’s life. It does make it a very worth while read though it is the first book I have read about Guru Nanak.
The novel traces early days of Nanak’s life in Rai Bhoi di Talwindi (present day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) from his younger days into his adult days and his fascination with mystic people and the jogis.
The book recalls an anecdote about Nanak’s life:
“Once Nanak’s father, Mehta Kalu gave him 20 Rupees to do business and earn dome profit. Nanak while crossing the forests met some naked hermits, who didn't accept Nanak’s money for food or for clothing. Hence, Nanak bought them meals.”
This event is known as Sacha Sauda and today the Gurudwara Sacha Sauda is built at the place where this event took place exists in Farooqabad, Pakistan.
The book similarly traces many of Nanak’s anecdotes and also quotes a lot of hymns that Nanak had composed with his companion Bhai Mardana across their various journeys.
Also running parallel is the Sikh Dynasty from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh (from the first to the tenth). The book also contains anecdotes of from the times of the majority of the Gurus.
Alongside the book also showcases the run-ins of the Sikh rulers with the Mughals. Events leading upto Guru Tegh Bahadur’s beheading by the Mughals have also been described in detail.
The third parallel which are the authors’ travel in present day are certainly the most interesting for any reader to follow. From visiting Nankana Sahib in Punjab to temples off the coast of Karachi in Sindh and also Nanak’s resting place near Narowal, the author has done it all. Described in detail are the present day conditions of these Shrines and Gurudwara’s. From the dilapidated ones to the well managed ones.
The book has described in gory detail the loss due to transition in Nanak’s teachings. It is a pain to see many a things Nanak used to take a stand against getting lost.
The book is something very close to my heart after I have completed reading it. If interested in Nanak’s life and the aura surrounding him it is a breeze to read.
The novel feeds off Haroon Khalid’s fascination about Guru Nanak’s life. It does make it a very worth while read though it is the first book I have read about Guru Nanak.
The novel traces early days of Nanak’s life in Rai Bhoi di Talwindi (present day Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan) from his younger days into his adult days and his fascination with mystic people and the jogis.
The book recalls an anecdote about Nanak’s life:
“Once Nanak’s father, Mehta Kalu gave him 20 Rupees to do business and earn dome profit. Nanak while crossing the forests met some naked hermits, who didn't accept Nanak’s money for food or for clothing. Hence, Nanak bought them meals.”
This event is known as Sacha Sauda and today the Gurudwara Sacha Sauda is built at the place where this event took place exists in Farooqabad, Pakistan.
The book similarly traces many of Nanak’s anecdotes and also quotes a lot of hymns that Nanak had composed with his companion Bhai Mardana across their various journeys.
Also running parallel is the Sikh Dynasty from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh (from the first to the tenth). The book also contains anecdotes of from the times of the majority of the Gurus.
Alongside the book also showcases the run-ins of the Sikh rulers with the Mughals. Events leading upto Guru Tegh Bahadur’s beheading by the Mughals have also been described in detail.
The third parallel which are the authors’ travel in present day are certainly the most interesting for any reader to follow. From visiting Nankana Sahib in Punjab to temples off the coast of Karachi in Sindh and also Nanak’s resting place near Narowal, the author has done it all. Described in detail are the present day conditions of these Shrines and Gurudwara’s. From the dilapidated ones to the well managed ones.
The book has described in gory detail the loss due to transition in Nanak’s teachings. It is a pain to see many a things Nanak used to take a stand against getting lost.
The book is something very close to my heart after I have completed reading it. If interested in Nanak’s life and the aura surrounding him it is a breeze to read.
June 14, 2020
I grew up listening to stories about Guru Nanak. My brother and I would visit our maternal grandmother in summer. She would narrate to us various incidents from Guru Nanak’s life and we would listen to her with rapt attention.
When a friend suggested this book, the first thing that caught my attention was a Muslim author penning down a book on what’s most important to the Sikhs and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could do any justice to it.
Reading about the anecdotes which were once narrated by my grandmother brought back fond memories of my childhood. However, while reading, a sudden sense of sadness dawned upon me. What remains of the towns, villages and serais, which were once visited by Guru Nanak, are nothing crude structures, remnants of a Gurudwara.
It got me thinking if partition had been avoided, the Gurdwaras which are now in a dilapidated state would’ve been bustling with the pilgrims. Some of the Gurdwaras are well maintained, whereas the rest are neglected.
Guru Nanak through his teachings advocated the path of honesty But are we really honest?
“Purity lies in our imperfections”. The word ‘imperfection’ has no place in today’s world. We struggle to show the world how perfect our job, family, lifestyle is and most importantly, how perfect we are. I remember the simpler times when birthday parties didn’t have to be perfect, weddings were more about getting together and celebrating life. The relationships were pure and held more value than they do now. (One good thing about the pandemic is, it’s taking us back to simpler times.)
Having said that, what I take away from this book are a few lines -
“ The world is balanced by evil and good, pain and ecstasy, deprivation and bounty. Know that whatever has been taken away from you was needed to maintain the divine equilibrium and whatever will be given to you will be by Him to fill a void.”
I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I was expecting a lot from Haroon Khalid. I often felt he’s holding back his true opinions in order to be politically correct maybe. He talks more about his teacher, Iqbal Qaiser and his book, than of his own opinions.
When a friend suggested this book, the first thing that caught my attention was a Muslim author penning down a book on what’s most important to the Sikhs and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could do any justice to it.
Reading about the anecdotes which were once narrated by my grandmother brought back fond memories of my childhood. However, while reading, a sudden sense of sadness dawned upon me. What remains of the towns, villages and serais, which were once visited by Guru Nanak, are nothing crude structures, remnants of a Gurudwara.
It got me thinking if partition had been avoided, the Gurdwaras which are now in a dilapidated state would’ve been bustling with the pilgrims. Some of the Gurdwaras are well maintained, whereas the rest are neglected.
Guru Nanak through his teachings advocated the path of honesty But are we really honest?
“Purity lies in our imperfections”. The word ‘imperfection’ has no place in today’s world. We struggle to show the world how perfect our job, family, lifestyle is and most importantly, how perfect we are. I remember the simpler times when birthday parties didn’t have to be perfect, weddings were more about getting together and celebrating life. The relationships were pure and held more value than they do now. (One good thing about the pandemic is, it’s taking us back to simpler times.)
Having said that, what I take away from this book are a few lines -
“ The world is balanced by evil and good, pain and ecstasy, deprivation and bounty. Know that whatever has been taken away from you was needed to maintain the divine equilibrium and whatever will be given to you will be by Him to fill a void.”
I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I was expecting a lot from Haroon Khalid. I often felt he’s holding back his true opinions in order to be politically correct maybe. He talks more about his teacher, Iqbal Qaiser and his book, than of his own opinions.
December 28, 2019
Haroon mesmerizes by juxtaposing two different time spans - one in which Nanak is walking with Mardana and second in which Haroon is walking to all those places where Nanak visited and gives raw details of ground reality of today. Someone who has travelled himself can really appreciate the hard work and dedication of this young man as no travels are easy and never the real life is as interesting as it appears once such a masterpiece appears on the paper. Haroon and his friend-mentor Iqbal Qaiser, tread the path that few can and together recreate this story for us. The reason I loved this book is - that being born in Punjab, I know Nanak and have been in awe of his having walked on this earth, all my life but never could I know more about him as a person. It has always been legends and stories that put him at such a high pedestal that you remain yearning for that touch, that connection and that understanding of who he really was and what his struggles would have been. Haroon brings such a novel way of talking about Nanak that you almost feel that you are walking along him. You see Nanak as a person that is the beauty of this book. By separating the popular myths from possible facts, Haroon has taken a brave and laudable step in bringing Nanak close to us. It is such a refreshing way of telling history that I learnt so much about the 10 sikh gurus that I never had in my life till now although I am very much surrounded by books and stories about them. This book makes it effortless and so immersive an experience that you feel you are no reading a book but are living an experience. "Walking with Nanak" is a book to live, re-live and meditate upon.
April 6, 2025
Tracing the footsteps of Guru Nanak, what a fascinating journey into the past. I had no clue about this part of history. I had know about the later gurus but not much about Nanak. This is a splendid book for all to read. The writing is good and compact and at no point you feel that this journey has been stretched.
Just like Nanak and his disciple Mardana moved from one place to another , the author kept that spirit alive while travelling with his Guru, Iqbal Qaiser who guided him to all the shrines where Nanak visited. That entire area is now a part of Pakistan.
It is a bitter-sweet feeling to know that so many of the Gurudwaras still exist but a lot of them are being used for the religion of the state. Some shrines do have the patronage of the locals and the funding from the global citizens help. What fascinated me most was this little trivia about Kartarpur Sahib. The author states that if Radcliffe had drawn the borders a little past the Ravi river, this place would have been in India. If that had been I can assure you then it would have been a spectacular and oft visited shrine like the Harmandir Sahib (Amritsar) is today. I understand now the importance of the peace corridor which finally opened in Nov 2019 for the pilgrims from India to visit this blessed site. I hope it never closes.
It was heart warming to see that there are at least a few people in Pakistan who do want to preserve its past. I really wish that in my lifetime I do see both these nations acknowledge this shared history of ours. After all we were one nation at a point in time. The borders cannot be erased but hopefully the hearts will heal and come together someday
Just like Nanak and his disciple Mardana moved from one place to another , the author kept that spirit alive while travelling with his Guru, Iqbal Qaiser who guided him to all the shrines where Nanak visited. That entire area is now a part of Pakistan.
It is a bitter-sweet feeling to know that so many of the Gurudwaras still exist but a lot of them are being used for the religion of the state. Some shrines do have the patronage of the locals and the funding from the global citizens help. What fascinated me most was this little trivia about Kartarpur Sahib. The author states that if Radcliffe had drawn the borders a little past the Ravi river, this place would have been in India. If that had been I can assure you then it would have been a spectacular and oft visited shrine like the Harmandir Sahib (Amritsar) is today. I understand now the importance of the peace corridor which finally opened in Nov 2019 for the pilgrims from India to visit this blessed site. I hope it never closes.
It was heart warming to see that there are at least a few people in Pakistan who do want to preserve its past. I really wish that in my lifetime I do see both these nations acknowledge this shared history of ours. After all we were one nation at a point in time. The borders cannot be erased but hopefully the hearts will heal and come together someday
December 6, 2020
I read this book at a time when even I was on some sort of journey with Nanak. I had read very little of his work. I had listened to many renditions of Japuji sahab in gurudwaras and thanks to the internet, in my own house too. However, I never not knew him. The picture of the generous Sikh patriarch appeared frequently in our popular culture. The author shared a similar curiosity but had encountered him in a different context. He visits all the sites associated with Nanak, including the places of his birth and death, to explore a Nanak that eludes an ordinary person of faith. His journey, while secularised in his form, is deeply spiritual. In the lucid narrative of his travels, the life of Guru Nanak and history of Sikh religion, he raises simple questions of inconsistency between the thought of Nanak and the practices of Sikhism. It irked me initially, this naive question. As I read through the book, I realised that it is this simple question in pari materia with the journey of Nanak. Kabir, Nanak, Raidas, Farid were all trying to diminish this duality. It was extremely moving to see the portrait of Iqbal Kaiser and Haroon Khalid en route this journey. Towards the end of the book, I experienced the loss that Indians feel for Pakistan and vice versa. The pictures made me very emotional, feeding into the aspiration of future journeys. I feel grateful to have caught a glimpse of the forbidden land. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know Nanak beyond his identity as the founder of an organised religion, who seeks to understand him as a person.
May 19, 2024
I appreciate the efforts of Haroon Khalid in his research. However, I did not enjoy reading the author's view. Guru Nanak Dev Ji's role and impact is not brought to justice. The author downplays certain events related to the miracles of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I feel the author sees Guru Nanak Dev Ji as a prophet, talks about Guru Ji as the mediator between the Hindus and Muslims. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not a prophet but the embodiment of the One itself and the same Joth is later passed from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Guru Angad Dev Ji, till Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The author wrote ' I wonder what Nanak would have felt at this ritualistic veneration of the Guru Granth Sahib", talking about the Sachkhand of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Briefly mentions how Guru Gobind Singh Ji declared Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the eternal Guru. I feel the author's fascination towards Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not enough. He should have co-wrote this book with a Sikh with a better understanding of Sikhi. At times, the bias of the author makes you roll your eyes. His view on gurdwaras being converted to muslim shrines. Somewhere in the book, the author writes how alcohol sales is the highest in Punjab, compared to other states in India. It may be true but it is totally unrelated to the topic discussed- Milkha Singh, the latest Bollywood movie at that time of writing the book. I wonder how casually he slipped that in. Perhaps the author should take a step back and reflect before writing another book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
After reading the introduction, I was initially captivated by the book. However, it ultimately left me disappointed. I had expected a thorough exploration of Nanak's philosophy and travels, but instead, the book concentrated on his limited travels in Pakistan and seemed to be written with a biased and religious perspective. The author appears to have intentionally drawn a distinction between the Mughals and Muslims, seemingly to downplay the atrocities committed against Sikhs and Hindus. In several instances, the blame for the killing of the gurus was shifted onto internal politics.
Moreover, in the latter half of the book, it seemed as though the author lacked content and resorted to filling it with stories about the other Gurus, again with a biased viewpoint. For instance, Guru Hargobind's introduction of militarization to Sikhism, likely a response to his father's execution and a means to protect the Sikh community, was not adequately covered. Instead, the author suggested that "Hargobind deliberately wanted to be seen as regal." Additionally, the references from P.S. Grewal's book did not provide complete context, with the author omitting the execution of Guru Arjun Dev and jumping directly to the "Feudalization of Sikh Gurudom." The chapters about the author's experiences with Iqbal Qaiser were also not very compelling.
Overall, the book does not offer a worthwhile read on Nanak.
Moreover, in the latter half of the book, it seemed as though the author lacked content and resorted to filling it with stories about the other Gurus, again with a biased viewpoint. For instance, Guru Hargobind's introduction of militarization to Sikhism, likely a response to his father's execution and a means to protect the Sikh community, was not adequately covered. Instead, the author suggested that "Hargobind deliberately wanted to be seen as regal." Additionally, the references from P.S. Grewal's book did not provide complete context, with the author omitting the execution of Guru Arjun Dev and jumping directly to the "Feudalization of Sikh Gurudom." The chapters about the author's experiences with Iqbal Qaiser were also not very compelling.
Overall, the book does not offer a worthwhile read on Nanak.
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