The Story Isn’t Over: History from the Margins

By Ramblings of a SikhHistory

The Story Isn’t Over: History from the Margins episodes

January 27, 2023 Me, My Mum and My Palla Ceremony | Oupkar Kaur
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We talk about how Oupkar, in the footsteps of other women before her, picked her mother to take the traditional role of the father during her Palla ceremony. We talk about what went behind the decision, family reaction, Oupkar’s relationship with her mother, growing up in a single-parent household Oupkar’s advice to others and a whole lot more.
00:00 - What is the Palla ceremony?
02:35 - Finding out about Oupkar's mother
03:38 - What role did your mother play during your Palla ceremony?
03:59 - What was the reaction from your family and wider community like?
05:04 - Was askign your mum to do the Palla ceremony a way of saying thank you?
05:55 - What was your upbringing like?
09:56 - How did your change your mums mind and did she have any concerns?
13:14 - What would your advice be to those thinking of doing something similar?
17:09 - Conclusion

18 min
January 22, 2023 BBC Antiques Roadshow Arms & Armour Expert | Runjeet Singh
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00:00 - Teaser
00:56 - Introduction
01:45 - Early life & upbringing
03:46 - Family Background
04:47 - Becoming a police officer?
05:56 - From collector to collecting?
08:35 - Why are antique swords (usually) far superior?
10:39 - What do you do as an antique arms and armour collector?
14:10 - The restoration of antique arms and armour?
17:45 - Origins of the full body armour?
20:07 - Indian laws and antique arms and armour
22:30 - Dealer or collector?
26:23 - Experience on BBC Antiques Roadshow
29:57 - Role on BBC Antiques Roadshow
31:14 - A general perspective of south asian arms and armour
33:17 - Similarities and differences of south asian arms and armour
38:57 - Sikh Weapons?
42:01 - Dealing with antique guns
47:03 - Museums, artifacts and where to draw the line?
49:54 - Antique arms and armour fairs
51:50 - Funniest experience
57:29 - European influence on south asian arms and armour?
01:01:58 - Favourite Item: The Articulated Bagh Nakh
01:12:19 - History of the articulated Bagh Nakh
01:14:58 - Origins of articulated the Bagh Nakh
01:16:11 - Made to measure?
01:17:31 - Deciphering what’s legitimate?
01:20:31 - Pointers for collectors who are just starting?
01:22:58 - Social media & how to get in touch
01:25:06 - Damascus steel
01:29:13 - Anything we missed out?
01:29:30 - Conclusion
1 hr 31 min
December 30, 2022 Sikh Art & Philosophy Explained | Jvala Singh & Simran Kaur
00:00 - Intro
01:02 - The origins of this project
02:01 - Why was the decision made to make the calendar entirely about women?
02:53 - Idol worship and paintings of Gurus?
06:34 - An artist's perspective of depicting Gurus and other figures from Sikh history?
08:22- Where are the stories coming from? What do the sources tell us about Sikh women in history?
12:19 - Why is it important that the sources are pre-colonial? What has colonialism done to our current understanding of women in Sikh history?
14:01 - What is the mentality behind revising historical narratives?
16:00 - Who has been included in the calendar?
21:23 - What do pre-colonial texts say about the Gurus marrying more than one wife?
24:08 - What do pre-colonial texts say about the marriage rites of the Gurus?
27:25 - Other examples of source material disagreeing with the modern narrative?
33:00 - How do you bring the research to life as accurately as possible?
35:27 - Understanding the ‘soul bride’ metaphor
39:21 - How has the reformation of Sikh philosophy influenced the modern day Sikh community's understanding of itself - including tales of men & women from Sri Dasam Granth?
47:29 - Would it be fair to say that the Divine, beyond duality, is conveyed through duality?
51:55 - What has been the greatest difficulty in creating these pieces of art?
54:31 - Is there anything that has not been included due to modern sensibilities?
55:53 - Which other artists are involved?
56:46 - Can we undo the impact of the Singh Sabha movement or are we heading into a ‘Neo-Pre Colonial’ period?
01:00:27 - Why are certain depictions of Sikh history more accepted than others?
01:04:22 - Perception of the divine and artist Sobha Singh?
01:08:43 - How will art from today impact the community in generations to come?
01:15:23 - Which one is your favourite art piece from the calendar?
01:20:28 - Conclusion
01:20:41 - Bloopers

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1 hr 22 min
December 13, 2022 Sikh History at the World Cup? | Rav Singh
Featuring Neymar's mascot, Josh Singh. Prince Ripudaman Singh, his Swan Rolls-Royce & matching Roll Royce Cygnett. The Koutoubia Mosque replica in Kapurthala. The first Indian languages school in England. General Allard, Napoleon's wife & cashmere shawls. The Sikh Peanut Prince of Argentina and a Portuguese eye-witness to Guru Arjun Dev Ji’s shaheedi.
14 min
November 11, 2022 1984: India's Guilty Secret | Pav Singh
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You can see a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below.

00:00 - Teaser
00:20 - Introduction
01:26 - Family history and background
04:59 - What do you remember from October 31st 1984?
08:15 - Would the genocide have taken place even if Indira Gandhi was not assassinated?
14:36 - How did your research help bring to the front a bigger picture?
18:34 - To what extent are the police and the army involved & how did Sikhs who were in these forces act?
21:53 - How and why do things come to a stop towards November 3rd?
23:58 - Was the genocide just targetted to Delhi?
24:09 - What role does the media play in the immediate decade or two in supporting a particular narrative?
29:11 - Do you expect we’ll ever know the true extent of what actually took place?
32:54 - Which high ranking officials were involved? What did they do? Was Sajjan Kumar essentially a sacrificial lamb from the perspective of the state?
39:03 - What role did Gyani Zail Singh play?
43:28 - Are the British involved? What do arms deals have to do with 1984?
46:36 - Any idea what documents were removed by the FCO from the National Archives in 2016, could it possibly include the British reconnaissance report from Sri Harmandir Sahib?
48:30 - Has anything new come to light that changes the narrative since you published your book?
53:09 - Truth, Justice & Reconciliation: what do you think should happen?
58:32 - How did the research impact you?
01:03:43 - Conclusion
01:04:36 - Outro
01:04:54 - Next Month’s Podcast Trailer
1 hr 6 min
November 11, 2022 The Rise & Fall of the Sikh Empire | Dr. Priya Atwal
This is the full podcast 'The Rise & Fall of the Sikh Empire' with Dr. Priya Atwal.
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You can find the full video podcast on my YouTube channel and you can see a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below.
00:00 - Teaser
01:14 - Introduction
03:07 - What is the Punjabi/Sikh relationship with political ideologies such as monarchy, republicanism and democracy?
11:38 - How would you define the socio-political system of the Misl period?
16:43 - You challenge the assumption that Punjabi Queens are un-martial, could you tell us more about this?
31:20 - Relics of Muhammad in the treasury of Maharaja Runjeet Singh?
33:05 - How else is the martial imagery deployed and developed?
44:10 - Would it be fair to say some of the misunderstandings around topics like women is due to a male dominated perspective?
44:28 - What is the socio-economic and cultural landscape like during Ranjit Singh's reign & does he do anything that drastically changes things?
46:09 - How big is Punjab during Runjeet Singh's reign?
52:01 - How would you define the way Ranjit Singh engages with the British EIC, as well as the larger political landscape externally and internally?
58:10 - How does the Sarvaisddhantattvacudamani (The Crest-Jewel of the Essence of all Systems of Astronomy) play such a central role in redefining the Kharak Singh, Sher Singh, Tara Singh and Duleep Singh?
01:14:28 - Previous episode
01:15:27 - In a nutshell, why did the Sukerchakia dynasty fall apart?
1 hr 27 min
September 29, 2022 The Rise & Fall of the Sikh Empire | Dr. Priya Atwal (Teaser)
This is a short teaser from the full podcast 'The Rise & Fall of the Sikh Empire' with Dr. Priya Atwal.

You can find the full video podcast on my YouTube channel and you can see a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below.
00:00 - Teaser
01:14 - Introduction
03:07 - What is the Punjabi/Sikh relationship with political ideologies such as monarchy, republicanism and democracy?
11:38 - How would you define the socio-political system of the Misl period?
16:43 - You challenge the assumption that Punjabi Queens are un-martial, could you tell us more about this?
31:20 - Relics of Muhammad in the treasury of Maharaja Runjeet Singh?
33:05 - How else is the martial imagery deployed and developed?
44:10 - Would it be fair to say some of the misunderstandings around topics like women is due to a male dominated perspective?
44:28 - What is the socio-economic and cultural landscape like during Ranjit Singh's reign & does he do anything that drastically changes things?
46:09 - How big is Punjab during Runjeet Singh's reign?
52:01 - How would you define the way Ranjit Singh engages with the British EIC, as well as the larger political landscape externally and internally?
58:10 - How does the Sarvaisddhantattvacudamani (The Crest-Jewel of the Essence of all Systems of Astronomy) play such a central role in redefining the Kharak Singh, Sher Singh, Tara Singh and Duleep Singh?
01:14:28 - Previous episode
01:15:27 - In a nutshell, why did the Sukerchakia dynasty fall apart?
2 min
August 31, 2022 The Rise of the Sikh Soldier | Gurinder Mann
Today I’m joined once again by Gurinder Singh Mann and we’re discussing his latest book - Rise of the Sikh Soldier - as well as a whole host of other topics.
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You can find a time stamped breakdown of the full podcast below:
00:00 - Teaser
00:55 - Introduction
01:27 - What made you write the book?
04:01 - How did you go about your research for this book?
05:54 - Out of the 4 pages of illustrations listed in the book, which are worth mentioning?
08:30 - How did you go about picking who to include?
11:17 - Could you tell us a little bit about the upbringing of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia?
14:50 - Why did you not include Nawab Kapur Singh?
16:25 - What could you tell us about Jassa Singh Ahluwalia’s reading of the political landscape?
22:32 - What could you tell us about the communications between the Misls and the British?
26:23 - In the letters between the Misls and the British - besides military matters - what else do they discuss?
29:24 - What is the political system of the time?
32:07 - How did the rakhi system work? Was it akin to racketeering?
38:10 - In a nutshell, who is Charat Singh Sukerchakia?
43:34 - What leads to the Sukerchakia’s rise to power?
46:19 - Who is Lehna Singh Majithia?
50:19 - Is there a particular reason why the artillery was predominantly composed of Muslims?
52:58 - Although not included in the book, what could you say about Akali Phula Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa?
59:06 - Who is Sada Kaur & why is she important?
01:05:32 - What could you tell us about the military system of Ranjit Singh’s Empire & the influence of European generals?
01:09:12 - Who are the elite troops of the Sikh Empire?
01:13:21 - Did the Sikhs ever conquer Afghanistan?
01:19:03 - Anything you wanted to mention or we’ve missed out?
01:21:27 - Where can I get a copy of ‘Rise of the Sikh Soldier’?
01:22:11 - Conclusion

1 hr 25 min
July 21, 2022 Partition Voices | Kavita Puri
Today I have the pleasure to talk to Kavita Puri, she is an award-winning BBC journalist, oral historian, executive producer and broadcaster about her book - Partition Voices - which is now in its 2nd edition.
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You can find a full time stamped breakdown of the conversation below:
00:00 - Introduction
00:44 - Why you do the work you do
07:57 - Who is Kavita Puri?
11:32 - Difference between a journalist an a historian?
14:49 - When did you become aware of your own family history?
19:06 - What are the causes of silence?
25:35 - How did you go about putting the book - Partition Voices - together?
28:46 - How did recording these stories impact you?
32:30 - Did people ever share how they felt after talking with you?
35:38 - What was it that helped cause the social cohesion to evaporate?
40:11 - How does masculinity and manhood impact the events that unfold?
45:56 - What led people to believe that Partition would not be how it turned out?
50:33 - What is the understanding behind the respect for the land?
53:53 - Did you come across anything unexpected?
56:16 - Why do you think the history of the British Empire should be taught within Britian?
58:45 - Precautions and tips
01:01:32 - Conclusion
1 hr 3 min
June 30, 2022 A Global Tour of Sikh History That Will Fascinate You | Rav Singh (A Little History of the Sikhs)
Today I have the chance to talk to Rav Singh from 'A Little History of the Sikhs'. We explore all the fascinating and obscure parts of Sikh history that are scattered across the UK, Europe and further afield.
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00:00 - Teaser
00:37: - Intro
01:55 - Who Is Rav Singh?
04:00 - Work & A Little History - How Do You Balance Them?
06:33 - What Spurned You To Start A Little History Of The Sikhs?
09:46 - Trafalgar Square - The Governor Of Punjab & The Ferozepore Sikhs
13:35 - The 1999 Exhibition
15:09 - Allegience To Whom?
22:22 - The Kohinoor
25:12 - Accessing Archives
25:24 - Maidstone Museum & The Sikh Cannon
26:10 - The Blood Soaked Jacket
27:12 - How Durham University Archives Have Got It Wrong
28:41 - The Secrets Of The Antiques Road Show
29:25 - Maharaj Singh
30:35 - Growing Up In East London
36:57 - Bhangra Day Timers & Sikh History
37:55 - Memorialising Anglo-sikh History - Generals, A Cherry & A Mosquito
40:06 - History Of Empire
41:42 - From University To A Little History Of The Sikhs
46:27 - Sikh History In London And Monopoly
46:44 - Sikhopoly & The Singh Twins
47:23 - Further Development Of A Little History Of The Sikhs
51:46 - Quotes, Meanings & Why They're Important To You
54:07 - Christy Campbell & Maharajah Duleep Singh
54:54 - 2nd Hand Book Shops In London & Online
55:31 - Finding Out More About Duleep Singh
01:01:49 - The Quote For Me
01:03:42 - The Most Obscure Bit Of Sikh History In London?
01:04:06 - The Mice, The Cheese & Other Obscurities
01:07:02 - The Team Behind A Little History
01:14:41 - Sikh History In 32 Boroughs Of London
01:16:09 - Sikh Cannons In London
01:22:27 - The Silent Painting From Amritsar
01:24:25 - Sikhs & Hampton Court Palace
01:40:31 - Interesting Pit Stops On Your Tours Related To Sikh History
01:41:00 - The Sikh Chapel
01:49:14 - Psychology of Recruiting
01:52:23 - From A Church On Old Kent Road To The Guru Ka Bagh Morcha In Punjab
01:57:53 - What Are Your Plans For 2022? - Malaga To Madrid
01:59:40 - Sikh History In Malta
02:02:31 - Sikh History In Spain? A Princess, An Argument And Jinnah
02:04:37 - Sikh History In Madrid
02:07:02 - The Little History Of The Sikhs Museum
02:09:31 - Tours In Europe & The Uk
02:14:09 - How To Get Involved? 02:21:45 - Bhangra Daytimers Walking Tour
02:26:27 - The Udham Singh Experience
02:28:06 - Things You Haven't Seen Before
02:29:54 - Controversy?
02:33:37 - Random Messages - Guru Nanak Dev Ji In Europe
02:36:12 - History & Emotions, Guru, Gurbani & Life
02:40:51 - Conclusion
2 hr 44 min

About The Story Isn’t Over: History from the Margins

From the publisher's feed

The Story Isn't Over is a podcast from Amar Singh, aka Ramblings of a Sikh. Historians, authors, artists, journalists, activists and culture-makers join wide-ranging conversations that unearth forgotten histories, challenge dominant narratives and rethink the stories we thought we knew. From empire and resistance to migration, faith, music and community memory.