Tarana Husain Khan

  • In the princely state of Sherpur, 1897, Feroza Begum, beautiful and wilful, defies her family to attend sawan celebrations at Nawab Shams Ali Khan's Benazir palace.

  • Tarana was an indifferent eater and an unenthusiastic cook until a chance encounter with a nineteenth-century Persian cookbook in Rampur's fabled Raza Library

  • A delectable anthology of food writing exploring the histories and cultures of Muslim South Asia. Contributors include Nadeem Aslam, Rana Safvi, Tabish Khair, and others.

  • A delectable anthology of food writing exploring the histories and cultures of Muslim South Asia. Contributors include Nadeem Aslam, Rana Safvi, Tabish Khair, and others.

    • In the princely state of Sherpur, 1897, Feroza Begum, beautiful and wilful, defies her family to attend sawan celebrations at Nawab Shams Ali Khan's Benazir palace.

      The Begum and the Dastan
    • Tarana was an indifferent eater and an unenthusiastic cook until a chance encounter with a nineteenth-century Persian cookbook in Rampur's fabled Raza Library

      Degh to Dastarkhwan
    • A delectable anthology of food writing exploring the histories and cultures of Muslim South Asia. Contributors include Nadeem Aslam, Rana Safvi, Tabish Khair, and others.

      Desi Delicacies
    • A delectable anthology of food writing exploring the histories and cultures of Muslim South Asia. Contributors include Nadeem Aslam, Rana Safvi, Tabish Khair, and others.

      Dastarkhwan
    Inspired by real-life characters and events,

    THE BEGUM AND THE DASTAN

    is a haunting tale of a grand city and its women.

    In the princely state of Sherpur, 1897, Feroza Begum, beautiful and wilful, defies her family to attend sawan celebrations at Nawab Shams Ali Khan’s Benazir palace. Feroza is kidnapped and detained in the Nawab’s glittering harem, her husband is forced to divorce her, and her family disowns her. Reluctantly, Feroza marries the Nawab, and iscompelled to negotiate the the glamour and sordidness of the harem.

    In the bazaar chowk, Kallan Mirza, a skilled dastango, spins a hauntingly familiar tale of a despotic sorcerer, Tareek Jaan,and his grand illusory city, the Tilism-e -Azam. 

    And in the present day, Ameera listens to Dadi narrating the tale of Feroza Begum, Ameera’s great grandmother. Confined to her house because her parents haven’t paid her school fees, Ameera takes comfort from Dadi’s story. As her world disintegrates, she is compelled to ask herself if anything has changed for Sherpur’s women.

    Praise for the book

    Musharraf Ali Farooqi
    Read More
    An enthralling book that demonstrates Tarana Khan's profound understanding of the human soul, intricacies of affection, and moments of sorrow.
    Namita Gokhale
    Read More
    Compelling prose that conjures the essence of a bygone feudal era, filled with historical richness, romantic allure, and poignant heartaches.
    Manu Pillai
    Read More
    ‘… a moving, even tragic tale of pride, loss, courage, and determination, as well as that unyielding human capacity to subvert tyranny through art and the power of stories.
    Rana Safvi
    Read More
    Tarana Khan weaves a tale full of razm, ishq, ayyari aur tilism, war, love, trickery and magic and takes us on a fascinating journey into the life of a 19th century Begum. 
    Previous
    Next

    Praise for the book

    A captivating novel that shows Tarana Khan’s masterful insight into the human heart, complexities of love, and tragedy. 

    MUSHARRAF ALI FAROOQI

    Evocative writing that summons the soul of the feudal past, rich with history and romance and heartbreak.

    NAMITA GOKHALE

    ‘… a moving, even tragic tale of pride, loss, courage, and determination, as well as that unyielding human capacity to subvert tyranny through art and the power of stories.

    MANU PILLAI

    Tarana Khan weaves a tale full of razm, ishq, ayyari aur tilism, war, love, trickery and magic and takes us on a fascinating journey into the life of a 19th century Begum. 

    RANA SAFVI

    About the Author

    Dr Tarana Husain Khan is a writer and cultural historian with a passion for exploring the intersection of gender, history, culture, and oral history. Her writings based on extensive research on the oral history and culture of the erstwhile princely state of Rampur have been published in prominent media outlets such as Al Jazeera, Eaten Magazine, Scroll, Bruit, Open Magazine, The Wire, and in the anthologies  Desi Delicacies  (Pan Macmillan, India) and Dastarkhwan: Food Writing from South Asia and Diaspora ( Beacon Books, UK).

    Dr Khan is the author of critically acclaimed, bestselling  historical fiction, ‘The Begum and the Dastan’ which won the prestigious Kalinga Literary Award for fiction, was shortlisted for Women Writer’s Award by She The People, and longlisted for Auther Award. Her book on Rampur cuisine, Degh to Dastarkhwan: Qissas and Recipes from Rampur has been published by Penguin Random house India. She has co-edited and contributed to an upcoming anthology of food writings, Forgotten Foods: Memories and Recipes from Muslim South Asia, which is under publication with Pan Macmillan.

    Her research article Narrating Rampur Cuisine: Cookbooks, Forgotten Foods and Culinary Memories was recently  published in Global Food History Journal. She has also curated and contributed to a highly popular series ‘Forgotten Foods’ in Scroll.in. and wrote a monthly column on Rampur cuisine, ‘Food Fables’, in DailyO.

    She is currently working on a Research Fellowship at the University of Sheffield for an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project, ‘Forgotten Food: Culinary Memory, Local Heritage and Lost Agricultural Varieties in India’. Her ongoing research promises to shed light on gender, food and memory.

    Dr Tarana Husain Khan is a writer and cultural historian with a passion for exploring the intersection of gender, history, culture, and oral history. Her writings based on extensive research on the oral history and culture of the erstwhile princely state of Rampur have been published in prominent media outlets such as Al Jazeera, Eaten Magazine, Scroll, Bruit, Open Magazine, The Wire, and in the anthologies  Desi Delicacies  (Pan Macmillan, India) and Dastarkhwan: Food Writing from South Asia and Diaspora ( Beacon Books, UK).

     

    Dr Khan is the author of critically acclaimed, bestselling  historical fiction, ‘The Begum and the Dastan’ which won the prestigious Kalinga Literary Award for fiction, was shortlisted for Women Writer’s Award by She The People, and longlisted for Auther Award. Her book on Rampur cuisine, Degh to Dastarkhwan: Qissas and Recipes from Rampur has been published by Penguin Random house India. She has co-edited and contributed to an upcoming anthology of food writings, Forgotten Foods: Memories and Recipes from Muslim South Asia, which is under publication with Pan Macmillan.

    Her research article Narrating Rampur Cuisine: Cookbooks, Forgotten Foods and Culinary Memories was recently  published in Global Food History Journal. She has also curated and contributed to a highly popular series ‘Forgotten Foods’ in Scroll.in. and wrote a monthly column on Rampur cuisine, ‘Food Fables’, in DailyO.

    She is currently working on a Research Fellowship at the University of Sheffield for an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project, ‘Forgotten Food: Culinary Memory, Local Heritage and Lost Agricultural Varieties in India’. Her ongoing research promises to shed light on gender, food and memory.