Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten

Punjab narrates the 240-year old story of undivided Punjab, from the time of Aurangzeb to that of Mountbatten. The book broadly divides this period into three phases, which are the tumultuous time after Aurangzeb’s death, the rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and British Raj, including the 1947 partition.Punjab has always had to face invaders, like the Persians, the Afghans, and the Mughals. This book shows the tragedies that common Punjabis had to face as empires rose and fell. The first chapter focuses on the state of Punjab until the death of Aurangzeb. Next, the author moves onto how invaders like Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali ravaged this fertile land. The clashes between Afghans and Sikhs are also covered. Readers will learn how under the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the minority Sikh community rose to power. This era is followed by a century of British rule, where the foreigners waged wars against the Sikh Kingdom. The fifth chapter of Punjab highlights the 1857 fight for independence. Gradually, the author moves onto the trauma that Punjab faced during the 1947 partition. In the last chapter of Punjab, titled Insaniyat Amongst Insanity, Gandhi brings to the light the humanity that countered the devastation. This book has a postscript in which the author delves into the works of Amrita Pritam, Bulleh Shah, Sikh gurus, amongst others.Research on Punjab was done in India, Pakistan, and at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Published by Aleph Book Company in 2013, this book is available in hardcover.