Thursday, February 4, 2010

Caged Emotions and Pain

trying to break
through
the iron rods
of a cell like brain
searching for freedom
finding hussain
i am what i am
born
through
a matrix of pain
my feet bound
to mother earth
enchained
blood sweat and tears
nirvana attained
1400 years
a memory
on the soul
of humanity
retained

Dargah of Sultan Shah Baba Haji Malang

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Because of Moharam, these Qawwals were reciting mournful Qawwali , narrating the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain and cursing Yazid too in their kalam, I was in tears listening to their message of lyrical peace through Hussain.

And when they started Bhar De Jholi I could not hold myself back, I just broke all the chains of convention and went into a trance , my feet as light as butterfly floated in the air, yes I had wings as my soul rotated round the husk of my flesh, I was neither here nor there , I was whispering in the winds and whirling round and round and round I finally collapsed on the floor..

This was the first whirling trance I experienced and there was no restriction of space, no crowds just me the Qawwals and the Holy Saint Sultan Shah Baba in attendance to a frozen moment that was melting into my consciousness..

Dargah of Sultan Shah Baba Haji Malang

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This is a very famous highly visited dargah a little distance away from the Holy Shrine of Haji Malang.

Sultan Shah Babas followers come from all walks of life and here to the trustees are all Hindus , but my friend Rohan Patil manages this dargah with love and extreme devotion..

It was here I did the Whirling dervesh kaif and fell to the floor, this holy place is a watering hole for the needy the poor the impoverished , also patronized by the hijras.

The Urus here is highly acclaimed , I gave it a miss I had to catch up on work..

Haji Malang Dargah

Night at Haji Malang is when most of the events begin , everybody is out on the sngle path that leads to the dargah or to the other places like Sultan Shah Babas dargah,, behind the Dargah are places I did not visit, I was far too occupied with the subjects I wanted to shoot, basically the ritual of the Malang fast, the dhamal and the Hijra dance and sandal..

I shot Laxmi Narayan Tripathis dance or jashn, I shot Gopal Haji and Babita Hijras sandal, I shot the Malangs and the rafaees.

I rarely slept, and shot a 14 GB card in two days.

And for the first time as mentioned earlier did not run for pictures , pictures came to me.

But what I enjoyed most is shooting the situations akin to street photography, while climbing up the mountains and while climbing down, I did not see the Shia Baluchi ladies that sell glares on the streets of Kalyan.

During Chehlum you will find hordes of them at Moghul Masjid.

My uploading problems continue..thanks to You Telecom.. that is unable to resolve this pain in the ass of an issue.

Marziya Writes A Letter

hoping that life
in mumbai
will get better
the path of peace
mutual coexistence
tolerance
go getter
love
the only
trend setter

Republic Day Puja at Ram Mandir Bandra Bazar Road

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These are a few pictures I shot late in the evening at Ram Mandi Bandra Bazar Road on 26 January 2010, our Republic Day.

Normally the Republic day is remembered with hoisting of our national flag and patriotic songs played all though out the day, but at the Ram Mandir every year on Republic Day, they hold a Puja for Peace and Harmony and prosperity of our Nation..

I did not know about this event but happened to see it on my home from work.

I could not post this earlier , but I do it now..

A Barefeet Blogger at Haji Malang Shrine

Till Death Do Us Apart

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This was an old couple that slept near the Dargah bound to each other in love and devotion, they prayed and invoked the Holy Saint every time I passed them by , I heard their cries for Help..they were devotees and beyond this point I dont know their story...I wont let the figment of my mind trespass on an emotional moment..

Old age is a moment of in depth reflection , for the young who too will pass this station in life one day...and to be needy poor impoverished in the twilight of ones life is a huge burden to bear..I would not mind if the Holy Saint gave them , whatever happiness he planned to give me...this I say with sheer sincerity and humility..

I shoot pain as it flows like clouds over my consciousness and rains tears on my fragile vulnerable soul..

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