Episode 18 - The Court of the Tenth Master with Lou Fenech

In this episode, Shabd is joined by Lou Fenech - who’s a historian and a scholar specialising in Punjabi and Sikh Studies. His publications include three books, the most recent of which is: The Sikh Ẓafar-nāmah of Guru Gobind Singh: A Discursive Blade in the Heart of the Mughal Empire (2013). He is also co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies(2014). They talk about the Darbar of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh master and the ideas of balancing Dharam or righteousness and realpolitik. They also talk about the political and social context of that time, and how the Sikh Guru’s philosophy interpreted and explained it. This is done by reading and understanding the vast scholarship of Guru Gobind Singh.

Om Podcasten

The One with Shabd is a podcast featuring in-depth interviews with leading minds on all things Sikh: religion, culture, philosophy, history, politics, and more. Listen to learn about the ideas, spirit, and people that shape the multifaceted universe known as Sikhi. What inspires a Sikh to wear a turban and grow long hair? What significance do Sikhi's symbology and ritual have to a people whose religion is skeptical of both? Why do Sikhs carry swords? What was the Sikh Empire? Also learn about contemporary Sikh politics, historical research and people organising for a Sikh political future.