**About the Editor**

**Pashaura Singh** is Distinguished Professor and Dr. J.S. Saini Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at the University of California, Riverside. His research is in early Sikh history and scriptural studies, particularly the formation of the Adi Granth in 1604. He is the author of four Oxford monographs, including *Life and Work of Guru Arjan: History, Memory and Biography in the Sikh Tradition* (Oxford University Press 2006) that was on the "Best Seller's List" in India. He has edited or co-edited ten volumes, including the notable *The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies* (OUP 2014). His recent monograph, *A Dictionary of Sikh Studies*, was launched on Oxford Quick Reference in 2019 in commemoration of Guru Nanak's 550th Birth Anniversary.

#### **Preface to "Exploring Sikh Traditions and Heritage"**

This volume grows out of the articles published in the Special Issue (SI) on "Sikh Traditions and Heritage," in the Open Access Online Journal, *Religions*. These articles were selected for publication only after a rigorous peer-review process. As a matter of fact, this volume has been a significant venture for me, and I would like to thank the esteemed authors for their patience and collaboration, and for accepting the critique of their work in the review process with grace and perseverance. I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to more than two dozen of external reviewers who took extraordinary measures to go through the specific submissions and to reread at least three revised versions in a time-consuming process before they were accepted for publication. A special credit goes to the editorial staff of MDPI for being meticulous in copy-editing the selected articles before their online publication. I also acknowledge the support of the Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies at the University of California, Riverside, Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Trust and the Sikh Foundation of Palo Alto, California. Finally, I would like to express my foremost gratitude to Ms. Macy Zong, Managing Editor, MDPI Beijing, for inviting me initially to edit this Special Issue and for overseeing this project right from the beginning.

This volume presents original research on various topics from different theoretical frameworks. The editor has provided an interpretive discussion of various essays in his introduction in the beginning. Although the essays are well documented and discuss certain sensitive issues in a scholarly fashion, the interpretations are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the editor or the publishers. Considering the essays being available to the worldwide readership through open access, we welcome suggestions and constructive criticism that may be useful to the authors in their future research.

> **Pashaura Singh** *Editor*
