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NEWS & VIEWS
127
this information to other Sikh organisations and individuals for
their consideration and input about the scope and constitution of
this important institutional development for the world Sikh
community. You have our full and considered support to evolve
and form this Organisation.
Tarsem Singh Purewal
President, Sikh Professional Association
Canada
~~~
ON A REVIEW BY DR HARDEV SINGH OF IN THE WITCHES CAULDRON
Dear Editor
The learned critic has reviewed my above book in the Issue of
January-March,2005 of your esteemed journal. I would like to state,
to set the record straight, as under:
In the critical appreciation of the chapter entitled “Fabricating
Myths”, he has made the following comments:
“His thesis that the concept of panch (elected five) is borrowed
by Guru Nanak from the Greeks during his sojourn in Iraq seems
to be a fig of his imagination…. My forays into the history of
science convinced me that Greeks believed in the four element
theory and Indians promoted the five-element theory (panch tatva)
of the universe.”
I had nowhere discussed the panch tatva theory compared to
the Greek four element theory in the said chapter of my book. My
analysis was regarding strong objection and criticism by Guru Nanak
against the prevailing autocratic rule of corrupt officialdom and
royalty in India and the outspoken comments made fearlessly by
Guru Nanak and the succeeding Masters, for which three of them
paid the price with their lives. Sikh Gurus envisaged a Society free
of crime, dishonesty, bribes and tyranny. They sang of halemi raj
and selected texts to include in the Guru Granth Sahib on Begum
Pura. Travelling extensively in the Middle East and staying at
Baghdad, an important centre of learning in those times, Guru
Nanak could not have remained unimpressed by the current
controversies there among the Judaic, Christian and Muslim religions