![\"komagata](\"https:\/\/ajmerrode.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/komagata-maru-front-cover-cropped-21mar2015.jpg\")
<\/a>A Journey With The Endless Eye, Ekstasis Editions, 1914<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n “Verily, oneself is the eye, the endless eye”<\/span> “\u0a28\u0a3e \u0a15\u0a4b \u0a2c\u0a48\u0a30\u0a40 \u0a28\u0a39\u0a40 \u0a2c\u0a3f\u0a17\u0a3e\u0a28\u0a3e \u0a38\u0a17\u0a32 \u0a38\u0a70\u0a17\u0a3f \u0a39\u0a2e \u0a15\u0a09 \u0a2c\u0a28 \u0a06\u0a08”<\/span> Introduction<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span>The Journey With Endless Eye<\/span><\/span><\/i> narrates the Komagata Maru incident that engages us as seriously today as it did 100 years ago when it took place at the shores of Vancouver. And will continue to engage us until our cultures are purged of the maladies like xenophobia and bigotry highlighted by the incident. Obviously a long journey it is. *** Anne Murphy ***<\/p>\n The<\/span><\/span><\/b>\u00a0 Odyssey of\u00a0 Gurdit Singh
\n<\/em><\/span>The Upanishads<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u0a38\u0a4d\u0a30\u0a40\u00a0\u0a17\u0a41\u0a30\u0a42 \u0a17\u0a4d\u0a30\u0a70\u0a25 \u0a38\u0a3e\u0a39\u0a3f\u0a2c<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>The endless eye is a Vedic expression. It means the eternal gaze behind our temporal eyes. And a journey with the endless eye is an ever continuing quest for truth and justice. This book shows such a journey by depicting the tragedy of Komagata Maru in words and colors.
\n<\/span><\/span>Komagata Maru was a Japanese ship that arrived in Vancouver\u2019s Burrard Inlet on 23 May 1914. It was chartered from Hong Kong by an Indian national Gurdit Singh and carried 376 Indian passengers, mostly Punjabi Sikhs. Many of the passengers were ex military men who had made sacrifices for the British empire in wars. Naturally they expected a welcome in Canada, also a British colony at that time. Instead they were imprisoned in their own ship, were deprived of water and food and turned back in humiliation after two months. When they reached their own country at the port of Budge Budge Ghat near Calcutta the British government suspected they had turned revolutionaries. In a brief scuffle at the Ghat the police firing killed 19 passengers and injured many more. Since then the incident has become a symbol of struggle against injustice and continues to inspire efforts to eradicate racism in Canada and elsewhere.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The incident has spawned numerous books, plays, and documentaries. This book <\/i>we believe will make a unique contribution to the Komagata Maru literature: it presents the story in paintings and short narratives, and blends history, drama and emotional impact of the incident into one. The characters in the stories are historical, except, Jean who represents a steno in the Canadian Immigration office.
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Year 1914 marks the 100th<\/sup> anniversary of the incident and a great deal of activities and celebrations are going on, especially in the Indo-Canadian community. The narratives and paintings of Komagata Maru Stories<\/i> have been exhibited at several venues in Surrey, Delta, and Abbotsford to enthusiastic response from the viewers.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe Komagata Maru incident is of tremendous significance in the history of Canadian immigration and nation-building, demonstrating the central role of\u00a0policies and acts of exclusion in shaping Canada’s history.\u00a0It stands as a\u00a0vivid testament to the long history of South Asians in western Canada, and their struggle for justice and equality. With this book we see a vivid portrayal of the human side of the Komagata Maru story: portraits in words and color of the passengers, as well as of those on shore both opposed to and supportive of the ship’s arrival. Such a view augments the overwhelmingly white and male historical archive, and provides a sensitive portrayal of the incident that can speak to people today. It is a welcome contribution to the commemoration of the centenary of the incident in 2014.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies
\n<\/span>the University of British Columbia, Canada<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSing to me the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 driven time and again off course\u2026\u201d \u2013 <\/span><\/span>from the <\/span>Odyssey<\/span><\/i> by Homer<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n