Damanpreet Singh

Writer & Graduate Student

Damanpreet Singh is a writer and graduate student who studies race, religion, empire, and the history of capitalism in the nineteenth century.

He holds a master’s degree in religious studies and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Yale University. 

Videos

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
31
May
2022

Ghazal Fifty-Two, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process.

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Tuesday
,
8
February
2022

Ghazal Forty-Four, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian بس که ما را هست با تو ارتباط از قدومِ تست در عالم نشاط فرش کردم در قدوم راه تو دیده و دل را که بوده  در بساط بر فقیرانِ خدا رحمی بکن!‌ تا درین دنیا بیابی انبساط دایماً دل را به سوی حق بیار تا به آسان بگذری زین پل صراط نیست آسودہ کسی در زیر چرخ بگذری گویا ازین کهنه رباط English Translation Such is our deep connection with You, That only with Your arrival, there is exuberance in the world. In Your pathway, I have spread out, My eyes and my heart—the only worthy possessions I could offer. Have some compassion for the Divine’s faqīrs ! ‍ So that you may find bliss in this world. Direct your heart towards the Divine at all times, So you can cross the bridge of Sirāṭ with ease. No one is at ease under the ever-turning sky, So Goya, just move through this worn perpetual caravanserai.

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Friday
,
17
September
2021

Ghazal Thirty-Six, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian ز فیض مقدمت ای آبروی فصل بهار جهان چو باغِ ارم پُر شد است از گلزار تبسّمِ تو جهان را حیات می بخشد قرارِ دیدهٔ صاحب دلانِ پر اسرار بغیرِ عشق خدا هیچ عشق قایم نیست بغیرِ عاشقِ مولا همه فنا پندار به هر طرف که نگاه می کنی روان بخشی نگاه توست که در هر طرف بود جاندار خدا که در همه حال است حاضر‌ و ناظر کجا ست دیده که بیند به هر طرف دیدار بغیرِ عارفِ مولا کسی نجات نیافت اجل زمین و زمان را گرفته در منقار همیشه زنده بود بندهٔ خدا گویا که غیر بندگیش نیست در جهان آثار English Translation O pride of spring, with the grace of Your arrival, The world, just like the garden of paradise, abounds with flowers. Your smile graces the world with life, It is the ointment that soothes the eyes of men whose hearts can discern divine secrets. No love can last unless graced by Divine love, All shall be annihilated other than the one in love with the Divine. Everywhere You look, You grace life, It is Your gaze that bestows life in every direction. The Divine is always present and watchful, Where is the eye that can witness these manifestations in every direction? It is only the Divine’s mystic who attains liberation, As time and space are held in the beak of fate. Goyā: The Divine’s slave becomes immortal, As other than this bondage, nothing in the world has permanence.

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Friday
,
30
July
2021

Ghazal Thirty, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian کسی به حالِ‌ غریبان بی نوا نرسد از آنکه هیچ بدان کوی دلربا نرسد هزار خلد برین را به نیم جو نخرند!‌ رسیده ایم به جایی که بادشاه نرسد طبیبِ عشق چنین گفته است می گویند به حالِ‌ درد غریبان به جز خدا نرسد برای روشنی چشمِ‌ دل اگر خواهی! به خاکِ درگه او هیچ توتیا نرسد به یادِ دوست توان عمر را بسر بردن که در برابرِ آن هیچ کیمیا نرسد تمامِ دولتِ گیتی فدای خاکِ درش که تا فداش نگردد کسی به جا نرسد فدای خاکِ درش می شود از آن گویا که هر که خاک نگردد به مدعا نرسد English Translation No one looks after the state of the helpless wanderers, As no one ever reaches the Beloved’s lane. A thousand heavens are not worth half a grain of barley, As where we are is far beyond the reach of monarchs. The one who is called the physician of love is known to have said, That no one but God can heal the pain of these wanderers. If you want to light up the heart’s eye, The finest kohl is no match to the dust of His threshold. It’s worth spending one’s life remembering the Beloved, As there is no alchemy equivalent to that. All the world’s wealth can be given up for the dust of His door, As unless one surrenders to Him, no one reaches anywhere. Goya surrenders to the dust of His door, As the destination cannot be reached unless one turns into dust.

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Monday
,
28
June
2021

Ghazal Twenty-Five, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love , new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian چون ماه دو هفته رو نمایی چه شود امشب مه من اگر بیایی چه شود این جمله جهان اسیر زلفت گشته یک لحظه اگر گره گشایی چه شود عالم همه گشته است بی تو تاریک خورشید صفت اگر برآیی چه شود یک لحظه بیا و در چشمم بنشین در دیده نشسته دل ربایی چه شود این هندوی خالت که به رویت شیداست بفروشی اگر به نقد خدایی چه شود در دیده تویی و من به هر کو جویا از پرده غیب رو نمایی چه شود گویا ست به هر طرف سراغت جویا گر گم شده را راه نمایی چه شود English Translation What would happen if You showed Your face like the full moon? What would happen if You came tonight, my Moon? The whole world is imprisoned by Your tresses. What would happen if You untangled Your tresses for a moment? There is darkness in the world without You. What would happen if You rose like the Sun? Come for a moment and reside in my eyes forever. What would happen if You resided in my eyes and stole my heart? This mole, which dotes on Your countenance, What would, for God’s sake, happen if You sold it for cash? You are in my eyes, and I search for You everywhere. What would happen if You lifted the secret veil? Goya searches for You everywhere. What would happen if You showed the right path to the lost?

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Wednesday
,
19
May
2021

Ghazal Twelve, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love , new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian امشب به تماشای رخ یار توان رفت سوی بتِ عاشق کشِ عیار توان رفت در کوچه عشق ارچه محال است رسیدن منصور صفت با قدم دار توان رفت ای دل به سوی مدرسه گر میل نداری! باری به سوی خانه خمار توان رفت چون خاطرم از عشق تو شد رشکِ گلستان بیهوده چرا جانب گلزار توان رفت ای دل چو شدی واقف اسرار الهی در سینه ام ای مخزنِ اسرار توان رفت صد روضه رضوان است چو در خانه شگفته گویا به چه سوی در و دیوار توان رفت English Translation Tonight one may proceed to gaze upon the Beloved’s face, Towards the one who is mysteriously merciless towards the lover. Although it is impossible to arrive at the lane of love, One may walk towards the gallows in the footsteps of Mansur. Oh heart, if you don’t desire to go to a seminary, You may proceed towards a wine-house once. As your love has made my imagination the envy of a blooming garden, Why may one proceed towards the garden then? Oh heart, since you are aware of divine secrets, I can proceed within myself, oh treasure of secrets. A hundred paradisiacal gardens have bloomed in the house. Goya: why should one proceed elsewhere?

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Articles

Monday
,
21
March
2022

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the fifty-second ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.‍

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Tuesday
,
8
February
2022

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the forty-fourth ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.‍

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Thursday
,
16
September
2021

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the thirty-sixth ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.

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Friday
,
30
July
2021

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the thirtieth ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.

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Monday
,
28
June
2021

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the twenty-fifth ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.

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Wednesday
,
19
May
2021

Paigham-i-Goya: An Expression of Love

A new translation and brief essay on the twelfth ghazal from Bhai Nand Lal’s Divan-i-Goya.

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

Damanpreet Singh
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