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What are your thoughts regarding this excerpt?

Writing his account on March 1st, 1781 (around 73 years after the joti jot of the 10th master in 1708), a British man named Sir Charles Wilkins had paid a visit to Takht Sri Patna Sahib Ji (birthplace of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and one of the Panj Takhts of Sikhi) in Patna, India. He wrote one of the earliest English-language first-hand accounts on the Sikhs and their religion. Reading his account is absolutely fascinating – I had only read transcribed portions of certain excerpts in previous works, such as in Ganda Singh's Early European Accounts of the Sikhs (1962) and Sicques, Tigers or Thieves: Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs (2016) by Amandeep Singh Madra and Parmjit Singh. However, I was not satisfied with these transcripts of select passages and wanted to read the entire, original document in Charles Wilkin's words. Thus, I dug into the 'Asiatic Researches' periodical to find it and struck luck as I was able to locate the entire work. I am now sharing the original document publicly here.

The account starts-out with their being a clear distinction made between Sikhs and Hindus & Muslims, which counter-acts common claims that Sikhs only became a distinct religious identity later during the reformist Singh Sabha movement of the late 19th century. The Sikhs warmly welcomed the foreign observer into their abode. He describes the Sikhs as "intelligent" and them placing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib in prakash, with gurbani being recited and a congregational ardaas being performed, including the exclamation of Waheguru! Then, parshad is distributed to the attendees. What is striking is a possible reference to the Sri Dasam Granth and an explanation of the Amrit Sanchar initiation ceremony. The amusing thing is that the Sikhs of Patna invited Wilkins to become a Khalsa via the Amrit ceremony but he politely turned them down! So much for the silly claim that Sikhs were and should be "non-proselytizing", historical Sikhs were willing to invite a random, white man into the religion even back then. They even were open to Wilkins having copies of both the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Sri Dasam Granth Sahib to transcribe/translate them.

Note: The character that looks like an "f" is actually ſ, which is an old-way to write "s" in English orthography, just read it as "s".

Further reading: Singh, Ganda (26 November 2018). "Seeks and Their College at Patna by Sir Charles Wilkins – Review by Dr Ganda Singh". patshahi10. Retrieved 23 March 2026.

Images:

1. Sir Charles Wilkins (1749 – 1836). John Sartain, John Sartain (1808-1897), Engraver. Published by Moon, Boys & Graves (active 1829-1834), Publishers. After James Godsell Middleton (circa 1805-1874), Painter. Mezzotint, published 1 January 1830.

2. The Takht Sri Harmandir Patna Sahib. Inscribed: ‘N2 Gunga Govind Sing’s Temple at the confluence of the Baugrutty and Jalangi Rivers. Augt 1820.’ WD4404, f.2

3. The Chowk, and the main street of Patna, 1814-15.

Original source: 'The Seeks and their College at Patna' (1781) by Charles Wilkins [The Sikhs and their College at Patna]. Asiatic Researches: Or, Transactions of the Society Instituted in Bengal, for Enquiry Into the History and Antiquities, the Arts and Sciences, and Literature of Asia (Calcutta, India: Asiatick Society, Vol. I, 1788, pp. 288–294)

Hi guys, I'm just looking for likeminded people to discuss (or get recommendations) about literature, books or poetry. Been bored to hell and would be nice to get into something.

I'm a beginner by the way and not so avid reader but I wanna get more into it. Plus one if you're from Tricity but it's fine even if not.

Particularly I've been wanting to read Loona by Shiv Kumar Batalvi but am not very fluent in punjabi so if somebody would want to recite or translate that for me, I'd appreciate that.

Also, I've REALLY mixed views about gunaho ka devta, what do y'all think about it? Good? Bad? Was chander tah lol?

—from thrift book fair @Amritsar.

classics collection was great.

discounts were significant.

got all these for ₹1100.

I want to hear more of them... share your hot takes involving literature in the comments, if you have any.

I ordered these books for my granddad and he recommended me to read this author called Shivani.

I have started with Krishnakali and slowly making my way through it, highly recommend her, she put kumaoni literature on the map for me!

jo vdiya laggeya chakk leya. price (per book) yaad bhull ge, total was 500 (with bookmarks and bag).

Indian Development: Selected Regional Perspectives is like neat completion of several research paper which goes on to explain about three paths of development in three different states Uttar Pradesh (included uttarkhand which wasn’t bifurcated at that time ) , West Bengal and Kerala . Though the paper is a bit dated it was written in 1997 but is still hold some general trend like UP being worst West Bengal being mid and Kerala performing is best . Some change for each is UP’s relative decline has finally stabilised in 2021 , while West Bengal well West Bengal is tanked (sadly I think what’s going to happen to Punjab if nothing changes in next 10 years or so btw 🗣️we gonna hit blew the national average for the first time since the annexation of Punjab).While Kerala did solved its one of the major problem income it risen to 155% of national average from 87% when it was written tho unemployment still persists

So the book the is split part in 5 parts
1. comparing India with china
2. UP’s comical lack of human development
3. West Bengal’s low industrial output and relatively better human development compared to its neighbours
4. Kerala’s historical development caste and agrarian reform movement
5. Is just nerd stuff about data

The book does focus on things like health care education , women rights rights of depressed class so it have Sen’s charm of development with human face ✨, it does open with “The bettering of human of life does not have to justify by showing that person with better is also better producer ”

i placed my order for a book set on 25/07/2026 and its 07/08/2026 and still haven’t recieved any update regarding whether its shipped or not it is just showing that it is confirmed. hope i dont get scammed i wont ik but why is it taking so much time?? u/padhegaindia_