"Encyclopaedias do not grow on trees." The force in the dictum not withstanding, the Punjabi University promised to produce one for the scholarly world—an Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. It was a daring: undertaking. Happily, the first volume of the Encyclopaedia in a four-part series is now ready. It comprises about 850 entries, covering different aspects of Sikh life and letters, history and philosophy, customs and rituals, social and _ religious movements, art and architecture, locales and shrines. Professor Harbans Singh has laboured diligently and created a work of high literary and scholarly worth. He has devoted all his energies over the past several years to this work of which he was the inspiration and to which his name will remain inseparably attached. It is not easy to restate and repack the entire range of information and knowledge of a people.

An attempt has been made here precisely to define the ideas and terms of Sikhism. The writing is direct, terse and tight and the aim throughout has been intelligibility and throughness. The volume will provide the background and facts necessary for comprehending Sikh thought and symbolism. It should be useful both for the expert and the general reader.

The making of an Encyclopaedia will anywhere be a most demanding task. It will be to say the least a wholly time-consuming exercise. It will imply frequently rigorous planning over long stretches of time, verification of details and facts. Fortunately, at hand was a scholar of rare powers of composition and determination. He brought to this work unimagined qualities of faith and dedication. In the result we have these sturdily-built volumes of the Encyclopaedia of Sikhism. Volumes I and II have been very enthusiastically received both by the general reader and cognescente. Encouraged naturally by the success of the work, we are floating the third volume in a single year. The volume covers "M" to "R’.

The end of the journey is now clearly in sight. I must thank scholars who have lent their expertise to this work. It was with the object of encapsulating authentic and comprehensive interpretation about Sikhism that the Punjabi University took up the task of launching upon this task.

We have indeed reached a point well-worth celebration. It was by no meansan easy task and we had not stepped into it in a hurry. The Encyclopaedias are not easily got up. They require a precise and clear-cut scheme of work. They demand a well-articulated, meticulously worked out and sensitively-modulated style of writing.

There has been a kind of methodlessness in our scheme of work. Yet, this proved our surest method. We blundered page after page into whatwe really intended to achieve. By our sureness of touch we were able to achieve our desired goal.

It has been my privilege to collect and acknowledge the events of a period which is as yet not too distant from us. The Muse has not completely deserted us. Or gone out of sight.

I take this opportunity to thank the learned scholars who have contributed their expertise to the volume. I commend at the same time the initiative taken by the Head, Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala, and his colleagues.

The twentieth century has been a period dotted all along with exciting situations, One will need to go all out to keep abreast of the current situation. One will need to recapture the past—to conserve the past. Hence the need for Encyclopaedias and other reference works.