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Rana Safvi

Rana Safvi

Historian and writer

The writer is the author of 'Where Stones Speak' and other books.

By Rana Safvi

India's Great Dharma Chakra: What Bodh Gaya's Buddhist relics and Ashokan edicts taught me about us today

The Buddha advocated the middle path. Sufi saints advocated love. Ashoka advocated compassion. Today, this is no longer history for India. These are lessons we need to live.

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Allahabad becomes Prayagraj: No, Akbar did not rename Prayag. He built a new city called Ilahbas

The 16th century monarch chose a name that respected secular values. What is a 21st century chief minister doing?

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On Hazrat Amir Khusrau's urs, the greatest love story ever told

Neither life nor death could separate him from his beloved, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

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Why Delhi has 14 cities and a cursed Sultan

Its every stone is crying out to be loved.

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Why troll for a Lord Krishna painting with 'Eid moon' — and a show of harmony?

It should worry anyone who loves India.

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Brief history of Delhi's Bagh-e-Bedil — and a beloved Afghan poet

[Book excerpt] Abdul Qadir Bedil was considered a Sufi saint by many.

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How, led by Mughals, Hindus and Muslims together fought the war of 1857

They battled as a united force against the might of the British Raj.

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The joys of eating kebabs

A brief, wondrous history of skewered meat.

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Why Muslims fast on Ramzan (and how it should be done)

It is also a month of detox, something we otherwise spend a lot of money on.

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Threats to Sona Mohapatra over 'sufi song' are shameful. What about the music?

Before getting into the controversy, let's understand Sufism, qawwali and sama mehfils.

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