In a special launch hosted last week, well-known art historian from Chandigarh, Dr B N Goswami formally released Amardeep Singh’s second book on the legacy of Punjabis titled, ‘The Quest Continues: Lost Heritage – The Sikh Legacy in Pakistan’.

The book is a seminal work in documenting the extensive legacy of Punjab’s heritage in Pakistan, which ex-American Express executive Amardeep Singh has painstakingly chronicled in his coffee-table book.

His first book took him four years of research and 36 days trip into Pakistan which he travelled, exploring the hitherto forgotten monuments of Indian rich culture and photographed them. This second book was completed in just nine months and nine days, says Amardeep Singh who travelled to Pakistan for 40 days – from Balauchistan to Peshawar to Sindh.

The first edition of the 500 page illustrated book went into four reprints and has been accepted by world’s leading libraries in US, Canada and Singapore. “These are not just books but a showcase to make the younger generation understand the richness and diversity of culture and how people living across the border are so closely connected with their roots as human beings,” said Singh.

Though the first book is priced at Rs 3,999, the second one is priced at Rs 5,000. “Punjabis would spend that much amount in a restaurant in the evening but would not spend to buy the book for their children to share this knowledge,” lamented the author.

He also shared how people in Sindh and Balauchistan still follow Nanakpanthi where all religions congregate and practice Nanak’s teachings in their lives. Seven decades after the searing partition of 1947, the Sikhs visiting Pakistan today have limited their interests to the realm of religion and remain uninterested to explore beyond the few functional gurdwaras, said Singh.