it is our duty as Sikhs to preserve our History
On Sat, Mar 11, 2017 at 12:58 AM, Tarlochan Singh <tarlochan@tarlochansingh.com> wrote:
    Thank you S.Ajit Singh ji for your keenness in all Sikh affairs. The Archives are to be looked after by us, and you can organise some group outside India because the rules and regulations in Pakistan are such that people with American,Canadian or U.K Passport have  more facilities to go there and work.
  I understand that these Archives are not in good shape,so effort should be started at the earliest. I'm happy about your information on S.Manjit Singh in France but you are also aware the Mr.Lafont a french who wrote the first book on the relation of the French with Sikhs. He did such a good job and we honoured him in Punjab and i got a book further written by him on Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 2001. He also wrote a book on the Lahore Darbar which was published by Pakistan Govt.Mr.Lafont is in France and I'm sending you his E-Mail.
    Tarlochan Singh
    Ex-M.P
......................
Ajit Singh <ajit@ajitsingh.ca>   
6:35 AM (2 hours ago)
You are Quite Right in asserting that it is our duty as Sikhs to preserve our History that had been distorted by many many biased writers (Non Sikhs as well as those who claim themselves as Sikhs) We have been collecting Sikh Historical literature as well as Gurmat Literature for the past fifty years and in 1984 after the Government of India's Army attack on Darbar Sahib and subsequent destruction of Sikh Lives and Sikh Literature, we moved the Collection to World Sikh Organization's Office building in Ottawa. The Procurement of Literature from all over the world is being carried out continuously since then. In 2007 we have to move all the collection to Brampton Ontario.
Part of my work as a Biologist in the Department of Agriculture in Canada was to preserve the precious  germplasm of seed of all Plants in the Gene Bank in Canada that was later moved to Winnipeg in a larger and Controlled environments there. In that work I came to know to preserve Precious materials it must be stored at more than one premises, because of Fire, Flooding, Pests or  enemy attacks. Now a days, precious literature can easily be preserved in electronic format and more than one secure places.
On the literature written by french writers there are quite a few books in French written by some who spent several months with the Maharaja in 1831. One such writer is Victor Jacquemont (1824-1832) His book"Correspondence Inedite de Victor Jacquemont avec sa famille et ses amis published in 1867 in two volumes. The author died at a young age in his twenties. His books are quite fascinating if one knows reading French language Many of these books were collected by Manjeet Singh Ji of France to Sikh Archives to preserve Sikh History. Manjeet Singh himself written several books  on Sikh History and Sikh Religion some in French and Some in English.
In Pakistan now a days there are many restrictions for taking any old literature outside its borders without prior approval from the government. Still many Sikhs living abroad were able to visit and photograph many of the artifacts and places. Some have published books to preserve thus collected information. One of my friend was able to get one old printed Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji from the Granthi Sahib at our historical Gurdwara. That Beerrd (with 1938 pages) was from
  Ranjit Singh's period and was in the Gurdwara Sahib at the time of Saka Nankana Sahib. I was able to borrow that Scriptures from my friend with the promise that I would return that back to him, if and when he request it. I kept that Scripture at Sikh Archives for almost twenty years and also photographed all pages for safe keeping. I wanted to restore that Scriptures from a professional business, and get it sprayed with neutralizing solution to prevent any further deterioration. The papers of old books are acidic and acid  eats paper from within to reduce it eventually to powder form (Aatta or Flour).About five years ago my friend requested me to give his it back to him. Keeping my promise, I carried the Scripture back to his home, where it is sitting for the past 5-6 years. At least I have already preserved the photographs of all its pages, therefore, at least its contents are preserved. Similar fate will happen to the Kartarpuri Beerd at Kartarpur Sahib near Jullundur also, if they do not Scan the pages to preserve it. The paper just get reduced to powder with even gentle touch.One can laminate the pages for preservation. We have preserved ( by Scanning) many other Sri Guru Granth Sahibs including hand written Bachitar Natak etc. Some of the Beerds in collection are Kharee Beerds with poetry of Meeran Baee and others, that were  disapproved and rejected by Guru Sahib.
  This is how lot of Sikh Literature had been distorted and polluted by the vested and ignorant, egoistic interests. I have written about the distortions and lies of Dr. Sangat Singh written in his book "Sikhs in History. Due to all these reasons Sikhs have a duty to preserve the factual literature on Sikh History and Sikh Scriptures.
Since many of the artifacts etc were taken away by the British Rulers when they annexed Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Empire. This proved to be a blessing in disguised, because that materials got preserved and in the past sixty years many writers have published several books, by referencing those materials.If those materials would have been in India they would have been destroyed or distorted.      It pains me to say that many of the so called professors and Doctor employed at Patiala and guru Nanak Dev Universities are distorting Sikh history just to feed their egos and make money from their fat salaries. Many of them are harming the Sikh Historical facts. The Akalies,and their SGPC and Jathedas are also spreading lies completely contrary to the Gurbani Teachings. They are a huge hurdle in the spreading of the Message of Gurbani to the World at large.
It pains us to watch the sad state of affairs in our Beloved Punjab the Land of our Guru Sahibs.
  The Nanakshahi Calendar was approved in 2003 with the exception of tree dates to be discussed and approve later on. That Calendar accepted by the Sikhs all over the world and remained in Force for Seven years. Regrettably Mr, Dhuma , Makkar and company played a FRAUD in 2010 to keep the name,"Nanakshahi" but fraudulently thrusting the Bikrami dates inside. This was all done in the name of "Sodhs" under pressure from RSS/BJP/Badala and Derawalas. Now they are again at it saying they have introduced Nanakshahi Calendar still towing the Inaccurate Bikrami dates.Just 26 years ago the SGPC and their Jathedars were unable respond to my simple question about Gurpurab Dates in the following Year  and that is what started to process to develop a standard and accurate calendar of the Sikh Nation. In 1999 the three hundredth anniversary of The Khalsa upon our request all the Municipalities across Canaa declared 14th March as the Khalsa Day to acquaint the people of Canada about the Importance of Khalsa Day.  
  According to Bikrami Hindu Calendar the Waisakhi date keep on shifting to different dates. They want to go into MAL MAAS BHARMS AGAIN. They are unable to respond to my TWO letters on WHY<WHEN & WHERE of Nanakshahi Calendar written to them in 2015.These SPOILER Jathedars in collaboration with Fake Derawalas and Taksalies are playing HAVOC again with Sikh Nation. Guru Sahib will NEVER FORGIVE them for their DIRTY Fraud with Sikh Nation by adopting BIPRAN KI REET. 
  Before Reforming the Nanakshi Calendar It was Dharmic Committee of SGPC that refused to publish the Gurbani Teeka by Bhai Sahib Singh Ji and A Hindu gentleman helped him to publish that Teeka. Today All these Jathedards are using that Teeka for interpreting Gurbani ! THEY SHOULD FIRST REFORM THEMSELVES THROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF GURBANI -" SIKHI SIKHIA GUR VICHAAR".

Ajit Singh.