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During a very important period of the history of the Sikhs, the author of the book - Cunningham spent eight years of his service from 1838-1846 in close contact with them. The result of his eight years residence was to give him a great insight into the history of the Sikhs and to inspire in him a partiality which is only too clearly visible in his handling of the events leading up to the outbreak of hostilities with the British. The whole book bears evidence of most meticulous care, and the voluminous footnotes show the breadth and variety of author`s study.
Indeed, as the result of certain strictures upon the policy of the government of India in dealing with Gulab singh Jammu, the author was dismissed from his employment from the political department and sent back to regimental duty. The principal object in writing this history has not always been understood, the Author`s main endeavour was to give Sikhism its place in the general history of humanity, by showing his connection with different creeds of India, by exhibiting it as a natural and important result of the Muhammadan conquest, and by impressing upon the people of England the great necessity of attending to the mental changes in progress. A secondary object was to give some account of the connection of the English with the Sikhs and in part with the Afghans, from the time they began to take a direct interest in the affaris of these races, and to involve them in the web of their policy for opening the navigation of the Indus, and for bringing - Turkestan and Khorasan within their commercial influence.
ISBN - 9788175360839
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Pages : 402
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