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    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      ‘It’s Never too Late to Start’- The New Indian Express

      inBook and Publication
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      ‘It’s Never too Late to Start’- The New Indian Express
      — Read on www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2018/jun/24/its-never-too-late-to-start-1831613.html

      ‘It’s Never too Late to Start’

      Author Rana Safvi talks to Medha Dutta about her new book The Forgotten Cities of Delhi—the second in the trilogy Where Stones Speak, based on Delhi.

      Published: 24th June 2018 05:00 AM
      By Rana Safvi
      Express News Service

      Author Rana Safvi talks to Medha Dutta about her new book The Forgotten Cities of Delhi—the second in the trilogy Where Stones Speak, based on Delhi.

      Tell us about your book.
      Many dynasties ruled Delhi and each of these dynasties either built a new capital city or expanded the existing one, giving Delhi a living history of over 1,500 years. Most of us don’t know about these cities as we see Delhi as just one contiguous whole.

      What exactly is the ‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb’?
      With around roughly 4,500 communities in India, a constant interaction between them gave impetus to a unique composite culture called ‘Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb’. The seeds were sown in ancient India with ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhava’, which literally means that all dharmas are equal. It is a continuous process of interchange, sharing and overlapping of cultural practices, without impinging or engulfing the other.

      When did Rana, the scholar, become Rana, the writer?
      Though I have been various things at various times, I was never a scholar. However, I have been a voracious reader since childhood and my knowledge base has helped me a great deal in my writing. I started writing by chance when Kunal Majumdar who was working for Tehelka in 2012 saw my tweets and invited me to write for them. There was no looking back after that.

      You are not from Delhi originally, yet Delhi seems to be at the centre of your writings.
      I had never ever imagined living here, let alone becoming its chronicler. Delhi kind of pulled me to it and I think the biggest hand in this is of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, the saint whose shrine is in Mehrauli. Now I can’t imagine being away from it. Now, I’ve become a proper Dilliwaali!

      Are we doing enough to conserve our heritage?
      Unfortunately, no. I travel all over India and visit heritage monuments and I find that not enough is being done. The Archaeological Survey of India does not have the resources or manpower to really maintain all the heritage sites.

      Your views on the ‘adoption’ of the Red Fort.
      While it’s wonderful that we are giving over the maintenance of the iconic Red Fort to a private corporation and the tourists will get clean toilets, drinking water and cafeterias, we need to remember that tourists don’t come for these facilities alone, they come to see the monument. We should also make some long-term plans for conservation.
      There are attempts to modify history today. Your views.
      Different people may analyse history differently but events and their outcome cannot and should not be altered. That is a deliberate attempt at distortion and is fair to no one, especially our young students.

      Your advice to the woman of today.
      Just be yourself, follow your heart and don’t let anything bring you down. Also please remember, it’s never too late to start. I started my writing career at the age of 55.

      You call yourself a chef-at-heart. What’s your favourite comfort food?
      My comfort food is a rice dish called tahiri. It’s rice cooked with vegetables and turmeric. I associate it with my childhood. Shaljam achar and chutneys would accompany it.

      You are quite fond of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Your favourite lines from his poetry?
      Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke siwa
      Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siwa
      Mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang
      (More suffering in the world than love, exists
      More joy than the joy of union, exist
      My love, don’t ask me for that love we shared once).

      The Forgotten Cities of Delhi
      By: Rana Safvi
      Publisher: HarperCollins India
      Price: `799; Pages: 340

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      Rana Safvi

      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.

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      © 2018 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.