Rana Safvi Livres

What is today the overcrowded, neglected city of Old Delhi was once the magnificent capital of the Mughal Empire. At its heart was the spectacular Qila-e-Mubarak, now known as the Red Fort. Commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639, the beautiful city of Shahjahanabad was built around the spectacular Qila-e-Mubarak (Red Fort), on the banks of the Yamuna. Almost a decade later, in 1648, Shah Jahan entered through the river gate and celebrated the completion of this 'paradise on earth' filled with gardens, palaces, water bodies, mosques and temples. About two hundred years later, the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, left the fort by the same gate after the failed Mutiny against the British in 1857. Subsequently, both the fort and the city fared badly, as they faced the wrath of the British. The final instalment in Rana Safvi's informative, illustrated series of books on Delhi, Shahjahanabad: The Living City of Old Delhi describes the magnificence of the fort and the city through its buildings that are a living monument to the grandeur and strife of the past.

Exploring the lesser-known aspects of India's architectural heritage, this book invites readers to discover hidden monuments and historical sites beyond popular tourist attractions. From ancient cave paintings to modern skyscrapers, it highlights the rich tapestry of India's built environment. Acclaimed author Rana Safvi weaves together stories and folk tales associated with these sites, encouraging a deeper appreciation for their beauty and significance. The journey through India's architectural landscape promises to inspire readers to embark on their own explorations.

This revised fifth edition, is a lucid presentation of the fundamental concepts and principles of ecology and environmental science. Extensively illustrated, the book provides in-depth coverage of major areas such as atmospheric and soil science, hydrobiology, biodiversity, and pollution ecology. It seeks to impart comprehensive understanding of the major ecological issues, policies and laws, crucial for solving environmental problems. New sections on vital topics such as acid rain and deposition, metapopulations, environmental disasters and the Bali Summit on Climate Change 2007 contribute strongly to this endeavour. The book is primarily intended for undergraduate (B.Sc.) students of environmental science and other relevant biological sciences. It will also be very useful for postgraduate (M.Sc.) students of these subjects as well as field professionals and researchers. KEY FEATURES • Use of indigenous examples for explaining subject matter • Coverage of extreme environments such as Antarctica, the Arctic region, open oceans, and deserts, along with up-to-date information on major ecosystems • Chapters devoted to biodiversity as well as natural and genetic resources of India • Detailed descriptions of ecocompartments such as atmosphere and lithosphere

Mehrauli is the oldest of Delhi's seven cities. Once the thriving capital of the Tomar and Chauhan dynasties and the Dar ul Khilafat of the slave dynasty, today it lies forgotten. Its congested lanes and crumbling ruins are lost in a mishmash of history and modernity, the living and the dead rubbing shoulders with each other. Blending stirring Urdu couplets with haunting visuals, author Rana Safvi walks us through the oldest of Delhis, describing the religious diversity of Mehrauli's monuments: from the rocky Qila Rai Pithaura to the dargah of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, from Zafar Mahal, the last great monument built by the Mughals, to the holy waters of the Hauz e Shamsi; each structure a living memory of an era dissolved in history. Embellished with stories and legends of a bygone era, and soaked in the sights and sounds of Sufi dargahs, mosques, temples, churches, gurudwaras and Buddhist monasteries, Where Stones Speak effortlessly reveals a little known, bewitching Mehrauli.