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The Blue Saga
A Review by Kartar Singh Goshti
Author: Kamal Gutraj Singh
Publisher: Sanbun Publishers, New Delhi
Pages: 44; Price Rs. 50/-; Edition: 2009
The ‘Blue Saga’ by Kamal Gurtaj is retelling, in free verse of glorious events connected with Sikh heroes of yore. The author perhaps has in mind the readership of Sikh children. The 11 episodes-narrated of valiant moments of brave Sikhs sacrificing their lives to defend their faith. The tone and tenor of narration stirs heroic blood of gursikh for a noble cause. The words used to express particular notions are without substitute, though beyond the comprehension of boys and girls studying in school.
The college going Sikh youth having a little fancy to know something about their religion have a feast of proud performance of valiant Sikhs giving them bountiful pride. The school children of 9th and 10th class can enjoy the poetic version of sagas of sacrifice with the help of a teacher.
Since all the episodes relate to Sikh heroes of sublime category like Baba Atal, Baba Deep Singh, Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh, Hari Singh Nalwa, Sham Singh Attariwala, Guru Tegh Bahadur, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, one’s curiosity is tickled to go through the contents which are really cherishing for posterity.
The name ‘Blue Saga’ is not in consonance with the spirit of the contents. It should have been like “Valiant Blood of Gurus surging in the veins of Sikhs”. The expressions should have been of children standard. It is a message for children given in grown up style.
The wisdom conveyed through legends connected with distant past, serves best the inpressionable minds of youth crossing the age of childhood. In case the message is in poetry the poetic fancy of the author delves deep in the itellect flowering into devotion. Since ‘Blue Saga’ of Kamal Gurtaj Singh depicts enough of the devotional realm, the poems create appreciation for the tenents of religion. ‘Birth of Khalsa’ at page 36 to 40 runs in the domain expressed in the foregoing lines becomes a master piece.
The rendition by Kamal Gurtaj Singh is superb full of message and worthy of readership in every Sikh library.
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