Bhai Gurdas is THE most important poet of the Sikh tradition. Unfortunately, the western scholarship on this vital figure has been completely lacking. Even our own community's understanding of his impact is a fraction of what he actually means to the Sikh tradition.

I have been working on translating Bhai Gurdas's compositions since college. I completed my doctoral dissertation on Bhai Gurdas, and my first book is now ready to come out from the prestigious Oxford University Press.

I am requesting funding for final stage of this project. The purpose is to create two indexes for Drinking From Love's Cup: one is the general index, and the second is a specialized index locorum for first lines of each pauri of the thirteen of Bhai Gurdas's vars I translate in this book.

I'm attaching a few files of the proofs of this book so you can see how far I've come!

Here's what people already are saying about this book:

“Rahuldeep Singh Gill has written a very important book. By providing new translations of the major compositions of Bhai Gurdas, a pivotal figure in Sikh history, and complementing these with powerful and convincing interpretations of their message in the full context of the time in which they were written, Gill gives us new insights into the evolution of the Sikh community and its faith. His work will change Sikh Studies.”

—Nirvikar Singh, Professor of Economics and Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
University of California, Santa Cruz

“Gill's exquisite translations and lucid commentary bring to life the work of Bhai Gurdas – a writer often considered second only to the Gurus in the formation of Sikh tradition. Challenging current scholarship while elucidating Gurdas's beautifully precise yet allusive language, Drinking from Love's Cup is an essential read not only for those interested in Sikhism, but also for anyone drawn to the poetry of redemptive suffering and divine justice.”
—Anna Bigelow, author of Sharing the Sacred: Practicing Pluralism in Muslim North India (Oxford, 2010)

“The heroic, spiritual, and romantic ingredients of Love’s Cup offer a taste of the rich poetic legacy of the Sikh tradition. Here Gill brings attention to Bhai Gurdas, a vital poet and theologian, whose hand recorded the Sikh sacred text, and yet who remains woefully neglected in the academy. This accessible and provocative introduction to the life and works of Bhai Gurdas is sure to inspire exciting debates and discussions.”

—Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, Crawford Family Professor of Religious Studies, Colby College


Here's so more about my scholarly work:
http://www.rahuldeepgill.com/#blogger-section