Yakhni Pulao
July 7, 2019
Shakshouka – an Iranian dish
July 8, 2019
Jung aur Aman by Sahir Ludhianvi
March 23, 2016
The Aqueduct of Segovia, Spain
June 21, 2025
The Tiles of Nasirid Palaces in Alhambra, Granada, Spain
June 21, 2025
Rana Safvi is a prominent figure deeply committed to India's rich cultural heritage and diverse civilizational legacy. Her work spans a variety of media including writings, podcasts, videos, and translations. With a remarkable portfolio, she has authored ten books that delve into topics ranging from culture and history to the monuments of India. Notable titles among her works include "Tales from the Quran and Hadith," "The Delhi Trilogy: Where Stones Speak," "The Forgotten Cities of Delhi," "Shahjahanabad: The Living City of Old Delhi," "A Saint, A Folk Tale and Other Stories," and "In Search of The Divine: Living Histories of Sufism in India."
In addition to her literary contributions, Rana Safvi has undertaken the task of translating significant works into English. Notably, she has translated Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's pivotal piece on Delhi, "Asar-us-Sanadid," and "Dastan-e-Ghadar," along with four accounts of Delhi from the 19th and 20th centuries. Her prowess extends beyond the written word—she is a regular contributor to various national newspapers and magazines and has actively participated in conferences and seminars.
Rana Safvi's blog, "ranasafvi.com," serves as a treasure trove of cultural, literary, and historical insights. Her expertise even extends to the realm of food history, where she has penned numerous articles and engaged in conferences on the subject. Notably, she is part of the "Forgotten Food" project at the University of Sheffield, contributing to "Desi Delicacies," a best-selling food anthology in 2021. Within this anthology, she authored a chapter focusing on Qorma, Qaliya, and Awadh cuisine.
Overall, Rana Safvi's multifaceted contributions encompass history, literature, cultural preservation, and the exploration of culinary heritage. Through her diverse efforts, she continues to enrich our understanding of India's multifarious tapestry and deep-rooted traditions.
Zulfiqar Sword of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Painting by Suleman Rehman Ali's double edged sword called Zulfiqar had mystical...
Kushk e Mehndiya’n painting by Daniells 11th Rabi us Sani, the Islamic month, marks the gyarvin sharif or the urs...
Painting: Solomon Receives a Message from the Hoopoe, Mughal 2nd half 17th c, calligraphy - Abd al-Rahim Anbarin Qalam depicts...
The first time I heard of Mysore silk as a special kind of silk was when the serial Mahabharata was...
A 2nd century Buddha in Chandigarh museum. At the time of partition it wasn't only land that was divided, museums...
Ranakpur Jain temple is one of the four major pilgrimage points for Shvetamber Jains. Made of marble it was built...
Kumbhalgarh Fort has many temples. The Neelkanth Mahadev Temple was built by Rana Kumbha in AD 1458. Facing west, it...
It has long been a dream of mine to visit Chittor Fort in Rajasthan. In the new year I was...
On a recent trip to Vrindavan I was struck by the tell tale signs of a receding Yamuna. I could...
The Baba whose followers included a maharaja, and in whose urs the first chador is from the Bhonsle family. I...
The City Palace, Jaipur comprises of many mahals. The portion in which the royal family stays is Chandra Niwas and...
The most famous resident of Mathura museum is “the great King, the King of Kings, the Son of God, Kanishka.”...
We have all grown up hearing about Awadh's famed Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb: for some of us it has been a...
Mastan Shah Baba is one of the most revered saints of Udaipur. He was born as Abdur Rauf in Haryana...
The Gopinath temple was built by Raysal Darbari, an officer in Akbar’s court from 1580-1585. The deity of this temple...
An abandoned house, which must have been built with a lot of dreams and been filled with love and longings...
Today Pir Ghaib is the name of a small, damaged, double-storeyed monument, standing on Delhi's ridge. . This was once...
Nizami’s Khamsa’s Five Poems, Tabriz, Iran, 1539–43 depicting the Prophet’s ascent into heaven (Image: British Library Online Gallery) The eve...
image: courtesy Pergamon museum - Princess Zebunnisa celebrating Shab e Barat "Verily, My Mercy prevails over My Wrath.”~ Hadith e...
Feeding of the crocodiles. 1720. Anon We visited Udaipur in the new year. Since it is the city of lakes...
Mir Abdul Jalil Wasiti Bilgrami wrote an eye witness account of Emperor Farrukhsiyar's wedding in 1715 with Indira Kunwar daughter...
The present temple of Govindadeva was built by Raja Man Singh with the Goswamis of Vrindavan, during the reign of...
The Gandhara and Mathura school of art developed under the Kushana rulers (1st to 3rd CE) while both started more...
There are many types of wrist adornments for women. These are bhujband, muthiya’n, pahunchiyan, kangan, moti-pak hubbab, chuhe datti, tipdiyan,...
Though Juliet had asked Romeo why he was Romeo ( Wherefore art thou Romeo? (I. ii.)) its been often mosquoted...
The shrine The inscription Dargah of Hazrat Shah Turkman Shamsul Arifeen Bayabani, famous as Shah Turkman When one comes to...
The Mughal school of paintings estd by Humayun reached its zenith under Jahangir. Akbar's taswir khana employed Persian and Hindustani...
If you study #MughalPainting carefully you will find three elements in it 1. Khatt or Calligraphy 2. Tasweer ( painting...
The staircase in Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan. i was bedazzled by the Naqsh e Jahan Square which houses 4 of...
One of the earliest buildings erected in Naini Tal was the church of “St. John-in-the-wilderness” in 1846. The site was...
Come, explore and fall in love the Beauties of Delhi (Dilli ki Ranaiya’n) and the World with me, Rana Safvi
I have a masters in medieval history from the prestigious Centre for Advanced Studies, Dept. of History, AMU. A firm believer in our Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, I am passionate about gaining and sharing knowledge and these days I am doing it via the social media platform.
© 2023 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.
© 2023 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.