MESSENGER FOR THE GURU'S HOUSE PUBLICATION PROPOSAL TO KHALSA COUNCIL - MADE MARCH 27 2015
- The Siri Singh Sahib assigned me to write his biography in 1983. He called it "Messenger from the Guru's House."
- I have been writing and doing interviews and research largely based on the extensive 3HO Toronto archive, ever since.
- I have modeled this effort on the biography of Swami Bhaktivedanta, founder of the Hare Krishna movement which is at once instructive, inspiring, and authoritative. The full Bhaktivedanta bio is 6 volumes, about 700,000 words. (I currently have about 140,000 words.)
- Submitted to KRI for approval in 1995, the original bio manuscript was never accorded priority, so even with the Siri Singh Sahib's passing it remains unapproved and unpublished.
- By the grace of God and Guru, I have been able to research, write, and self-publish three respected books (1996, 2001, 2004) covering the background of the Siri Singh Sahib's life and teachings. One describes the life of Sikhs in colonial India. Another details the relationship between Sikh Dharma and Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. The third book places the Siri Singh Sahib's teachings and the legacy of Sikh Dharma in a broad historical context. They are all available on my website.
- I have twice now published a version of the biography as "Messenger from the Guru's House" on-line in 40+ monthly installments (2008-11, 2013-15) to an appreciative global email audience of several hundred readers.
- Today Gurufateh Kaur informs me there are 600 boxes of unsorted archival material, as well as a collection of valuable oral histories recorded by Guru Simran Kaur in Espanola which may yield invaluable stories and details to contribute to the biography. Gurufateh Kaur understands my God-given talents and commitment to this project and wishes to help it come "unstuck" for the good of all.
- My humble request to you is that I be accorded some official standing that would: a) allow me to receive funding (for travel, living in New Mexico for several summers, and project-related expenses), b) secure access to the archives and recorded histories, and c) generally let it be known that I am interested in stories and details of the Siri Singh Sahib's relations with us in the event anyone should like to share material for possible inclusion in the biography.
- The benefits of completing this biography would be: a) this material would be accessible to all in an enduring form; b) the book would serve to keep alive the many inspiring and sometimes miraculous accounts of the Siri Singh Sahib's life; c) the project would serve as an authoritative reference work, thereby minimizing ungrounded speculation about the life and teachings of the Siri Singh Sahib; d) it might serve as source material for further projects, such as documentaries, adaptations for children, multimedia projects, songs, poetry, paintings, etc. e) eventually this project would pay financial, as well as spiritual dividends from sales of books and associated licensing and merchandising.