Books, deep thinking, reflection, and relationship-building

Brewing Knowledge: A conversation between Sneha and Aftab Seth, focusing on his latest book, “Indonesia,” and another titled “A Diplomat’s Garden.” Aftab Seth shared reflections from his extensive diplomatic career, detailing his experiences in Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, Greece, Vietnam, and Japan. 

Aftab emphasised the importance of understanding diverse cultures, learning languages, and building relationships through personal engagement. He also discussed the value of reading, advocating books as essential tools for deep thinking, reflection, and relationship-building, rather than relying solely on digital tools like AI. He highlighted the role of books in preserving memories, sharing knowledge, and fostering meaningful connections. The session concluded with gratitude for the opportunity to share his insights and experiences.

Aftab shared his latest book, “Indonesia,” and his previous book, “The Diplomat’s Garden”. The discussion was focused on how these books connect through the theme of the value of reading. 

Aftab shared reflections from his diplomatic career and discussed his latest book, describing his experiences serving in multiple countries, including Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, Greece, Vietnam, and Japan. He emphasised the importance of reading books rather than relying solely on digital tools like ChatGPT, explaining that books allow for deeper reflection and help build meaningful relationships that cannot be formed through AI.

Sneha asked about the role of reading in developing thoughtful citizens, to which Aftab responded that reading should have a central place in young people’s lives, recommending handwritten notes and limited use of digital devices to enhance learning and cognitive development.

Organic Purpose in Life's Journey

Brewing Knowledge Friday

Amardeep Singh discusses his heritage documentation and personal journey.

Key Takeaways

• “Accidental Author” Journey: A corporate career ended in 2014, freeing Singh to pursue a lifelong passion for history. This led to documenting Sikh heritage in Pakistan, a project he views as a personal calling to contribute to society.

• Challenging Official Narratives: Singh’s work counters state-sponsored history (e.g., Pakistan’s) that omits or demonises the Sikh era. He uses historical evidence, like syncretic frescoes, to reveal a more complex, shared past.

• Partition’s Unequal Impact: The partition’s impact was uneven. Punjab was divided, but Sindh, Kashmir, and Balochistan were uprooted entirely. This explains the Sindhi community’s focus on commerce, as they lost all land-based assets.

• Current Project: Singh is translating the Guru Granth Sahib into “metaphoric English” to make its wisdom globally accessible. He has completed 1/3 of the project (1,653 verses) and is seeking resources to finish the remaining 2/3.

Topics

The “Accidental Author” Journey

• Singh’s corporate career ended in 2014, providing the opportunity to pursue a lifelong interest in history.

• Motivation: A personal calling to document the heritage left behind by his ancestors in Pakistan, fulfilling a sense of social contribution.

• Challenges:

  • Access: Navigating a geopolitically sensitive region as an Indian national.

  • Logistics: Researching 36 cities/villages in 30 days (Book 1) and 90 in 60 days (Book 2) on a tight budget.

  • Funding: Self-funding the project required a significant shift from a corporate mindset.

• Emotional Moment: Finding his distant aunt, Jaswanti (now Noori), in Rawalpindi, who was separated from her family during the 1947 Kashmir conflict.

Challenging Official Narratives

• Singh’s work challenges state-sponsored histories that present a black-and-white past.

• Pakistan’s Narrative: Omits the Sikh era (1799–1849) and demonises figures like Ranjit Singh.

• Historical Evidence: Singh uses art and architecture to reveal a more complex, syncretic past.

  • Bhomanshah Darbar Frescoes: Show empowered women leading hunts in the 1800s.

  • Gurdwara Frescoes: Include Hindu stories such as that of Shravan Kumar, demonstrating shared Indic traditions.

Partition’s Unequal Impact

• The partition’s impact varied significantly by region.

• Punjab: Divided, but both sides retained land, allowing for cultural re-anchoring (e.g., Amritsar for Sikhs).

• Sindh, Kashmir, Balochistan: Uprooted entirely, losing all land-based assets.

  • Sindhis: Their focus on commerce stems directly from having to rebuild their lives from scratch.

  • Kashmir: The conflict is framed as a “Line of Control” dispute, which prevents either India or Pakistan from acknowledging the human cost of partition in the region.

Current Project: Globalising the Guru Granth Sahib

• Goal: Make the wisdom of the Guru Granth Sahib accessible to a global audience.

• Method: Translating the scripture into “metaphoric English” to convey its philosophical depth, unlike current literal translations (e.g., “washing your lotus feet”).

• Progress: 1/3 of the project (1,653 verses, including all of Nanak’s and Kabir’s) is complete.

• Challenge: Expanding to complete the remaining 2/3 requires significant resources, which Singh is actively seeking.

Next Steps

• Amardeep Singh: Secure resources to complete the remaining 2/3 of the Guru Granth Sahib translation project.

• Audience: Research the “butterfly effect” to understand how small events can have large, unpredictable consequences.