The Enchanted Prison

Thought this was an interesting in the piece by Himanshu Bhatt in the NST on Sunday about a historical novel by Malkiat Singh Lopo (left) which:

... chronicles the little-known story of the pioneering Sikhs in Malaya and the emotional process of attachment towards their new homeland. ... The Enchanted Prison ... chronicles the early hardships, predicaments and successes of the Sikhs who, like other communities, helped propel Malaysia to the modern industrialised land it is today.

The novel is set in India and Malaya between 1873 to 1937. Most immigrants from the Punjab were usually by the British colonial government as soldiers and policemen. But, as the article points out:

... a steady stream of other occupations also grew — milkmen, cattle farmers, guards, craftsmen, collies and tailors.

Malkiat, a retired teacher, says in the article:

Malaya was the first country outside the Indian subcontinent that Sikhs emigrated to. ... It was referred to as the golden cage or a heavenly prison. It was a prison because one was so enchanted by this foreign country that you were unable to return to your own homeland. ... When the first immigrants came here, they viewed Punjab with nostalgia and longing. But when they returned there years later, it had become a strange country!

The novel is available at the office of Malaya Samachar, 2nd floor, Wisma Tatt Khalsa, 24 Jalan Raja Alang, 50300 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-26930735; 012- 3690673 (Hari Singh). E-mail: samachar@streamyx.com.

But it would be good it if could be more widely available. As Himanshu Bhatt says:

Though specific to a particular ethnic community, the novel is easily one of the most insightful works of historical literature to have come out of Malaysia in the last few years.