THE WRITTEN MESSAGE

Our Story

 

Sikh literature has played an instrumental role in the Sikh way of life for centuries. Knowledge and history have been passed down generations through the spoken and written word, ensuring that the spiritual and selfless acts of Sikhs have not been lost to history.

 

We launched ‘The Written Message’ in the summer of 2020 with the intention of providing access to Sikh and Punjabi focussed literature. We found that there were so many amazing books going unnoticed or being extremely difficult to find. From humble beginnings on Instagram, we launched our website www.thewrittenmessage.com in 2021 to enhance the scope and accessibility of our service. Over the course of five years we have grown our collection of books to over 300 different titles. These cover a range of topics including:

 

• Sikh philosophy

• Sikh history

• The history of Punjab

• The Sikhs and the British Empire

• Sikh and Punjabi children books

 

We have had the privilege of working with a number of publishers including HarperCollins, Bloomsbury, Simon & Schuster, Wiley and independent publishers such as Saffron Press. If you write, publish or print books, no matter how big or small, then we would love to hear from you and be able to collaborate. Please get in touch with us via admin@thewrittenmessage.com

 

We’ve also had the honour of collaborating with a number of book clubs across the country so if you would like to kickstart a bookclub then please get in touch.

 

‘The Written Message’ truly brings together a passion for Sikh literature and a drive to spread knowledge. We continuously seek to provide summaries and reviews of those books that are celebrated for bringing great knowledge, spreading joy and inspiration to its readers, and making fantastic additions to your bookshelf.

 

Be sure to check out our Instagram and TikTok accounts for even more book reviews and recommended booklists. You never know, you may just find your next inspirational read.

 

Please feel free to get in touch via the contact form below or via email, admin@thewrittenmessage.com, if you have any questions.

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Our Logo

 

Intrinsically designed, our logo reflects the renowned and respected poet, Bhai Nand Lal Goya. One of the key poets in Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Anandpur Darbar, Bhai Nand Lal was instrumental in the aspects of poetry and literature in the Sikh panth. The ghazals of Bhai Nand Lal describe the Guru with such beauty, using the written word to show such devotion to the Guru and Sikhi.

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“Bhai Nand Lal also arrived in India and took his place at the court of Aurangzeb in the 17th century. He rose fast through the momentum of talent, but the air of the Imperial Court in the days of the last Great Moghul had become putrid. Fanaticism and acquisitive indiscretion were accelerating the Empire's decay. Bhai Nand Lal, known to Poetry as “Goya" meaning "One who speaks out" spoke with indignance at the Moghul court as well, and finally found cool refuge with Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh was warring against the Moghul Emperor, in defence of human rights, of body and soul.

Behind the battle line of cannon and thought, over fifty scholars of eminence were labouring to create literature, new and translated, for the new pattern of mind which the Guru was designing for his followers. Background music to the creation of the Master, and men of letters, came from Bhai Nand Lal, the mystic Poet Laureate. His songs range from the beloved to the Beloved.” - Page xi, On Goya by B. P. L. Bedi