Monday, September 16, 2013

A Letter To My Guru Dronacharya Mr KG Maheshwariji ..


Sir
Without kissing the dirt of your feet and rubbing it on my forehead I would have not become what I am today ,, I reiterate you taught me values you taught me somethings that are not photography and in a way I learnt everything you did not teach me .those things my parents bequeathed me .. they gave me a path luckily I met you on that path along with Mr Jatkar Mr Malushte and all that I imbibed I am now placing it in the open palms of my grand daughter ..

I taught my grand daughter that she was lucky, she sat played with the slum kids , I showed her the beggar world the world of hijras I showed her starvation , I showed her deformities sores and at that time hung on my waist she saw what I saw through the viewfinder .. today her vision is greater than mine and she will never be corrupted by camera club culture or by the breed of monsters of the camera club..

She wont be polluted by media photographers she shoots what they never shot as those days when her age they were shitting in their diapers ..I am lucky that I found a Master in you.. you are everything but not an old fogy or an old fart that I call those who have destroyed Photography for Good..

You at 90 are on the Internet sharing goodness you were never part of photographic politics .. and you never sold your pictures though you could have coming from a business family .. so I learnt much from you .. and today as a Dam Madar Malang of a fakir Sufi order I too understand the vagaries of time and tide ...

My grand daughter Marziya Shakir 4 year olds pictures are healing balm on the soul of humanity she will never participate in a Photography Salon .. where all pictures look alike only names change .. no I have empowered her to go beyond rules ,... it is not her camera but her poetic soul that overrides camera manuals ..she wont thirst for Acceptances Certificates of Merit or Awards pictures judged by those who have never shot pictures when they were 2 year old .. forgive me for my outspokenness in all humility ..

And hold on Sir at 7 month old Nerjis Asif Shakir is learning photography too .. so what you gave me , the fruits that you were offering to God that slipped from your hands fell into the out stretched hands of my grand daughters .

My prayers good wishes to your children , their children and their children too...


Your disciple
Beggar Poet
Firoze Shakir

I Am A Poor Mans Model.. They Enjoy Shooting Me On Visarjan Day

The Humble Photographers of Juhu Beach,,

पुढच्या वर्षी लवकर या

As A Child I Grew Up In A Church ,,



they never
influenced
me to give
up my god
my religion
or my faith
they never
proselytized
or white washed
my brain ..
i shoot jesus
as passionately
as i shoot my
roots embedded
in hussain
i shoot humanity
colors of all
religiosity i shoot
pain the useless
husk the edible
grain i could
never be a bigot
a beggar poet
i became ,,,
held captive
once i broke
all my chains
my backyard
my domain
the garbage
stinking
bandra bazar
aromatic
frenetic
back lanes

where since the time i voted for him the corporator has yet to come to list my grievance my complain..yes we are eunuchs we vote those to power ..because of their hollow promises the partys campaign..the open gutters the filthy road the bickering rains ..my bandra is slowly dying enchained to apathy neglect poetic disdain

fuck off...my dreams are my own...


i maybe
homeless
hungry
disease
prone
all alone
like you
i have
no money
just flesh
bones
no wallet
no mobile
phone
my life
fucked
all over
in muted
tones
no aadhar
no udhar
no ladies bar
drugged
stoned
i live on
society's
leftovers
the garbage
bin hears
my groans
i am the
master
of my destiny
my roadside
throne ,,,

they call me gardula drug addict ,,,once i was one of your own...on the streets that i stalk you had me thrown..

I Shoot My Cultural Inheritance As Passionately As I Shoot My Own Faith


if i shot
pictures
to hurt you
your faith
than as a
indian
as a shia
born muslim
i would be
breaching
my mothers
pledge my
cosmic fate
follower
of truth
humanity
protected
all times
by ahle bayt
sometimes
i wonder
sadly why so
much sectarian
hate ..our destination one
through different gates

You Take Care Of Your Guru ,, Photography Takes Care Of Itself..

I used to press my gurus tired legs too.. simply because he made me stand on my two feet with a extra load of the camera ..thank you BW Jatkar Saab ,,, Om Shanti Om

Ramlila is 100% Team Work

Our World Would Be Dull Drab Colorless Without Amateur Photographers

I Try To Shoot What Others Cant See

I Started Out With A Nikon - I Am Now A Canon User

I Was Playing My Part As Photographer At Ramlila

The Ramlila ,, Preparation

I spent hours understanding all the minds of ravan - till we became good friends

Ravan

Ravan by firoze shakir photographerno1
Ravan, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Ravan

Ravan by firoze shakir photographerno1
Ravan, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Learning Photography Is Watching Others Shoot Pictures ,,,And If You Shoot Them Lesson Stays On Forever

Ramlila Backstage A Path To Learning Good Photography

Satish Malavade Senior Photographer And My Press Guru

Once Upon A Time At Shivaji Park..I First Shot In Color , Now Desaturated Stark


i learnt
photography
watching
others
as they
shot ,,
i stood
in a corner
silent pin
drop ..
while they
aimed
i did not
stop
every venue
a studio
a workshop
camera by
itself does
not shoot
pictures
fuk f stops

Media Photographers Shoot Pictures Bloggers Restore Them Back As Memories



bloggers
are nuisance
getting in
their way
they think
they with
their fancy shiny
shimmery lenses
heavy duty camera
that go khat a khat
camera and body
in sync ,..mind
out on a blink
a blogger shoots
single frame
later one picture
becomes a thousand
links .. fuk f stops
oh photography
where is thy sting

Ravan Khush Hua

mere sar par
hath rakhkar
ravan bahut
khush hua
jai shankar ki
bol kar dil
se di dua
tera kalyan ho
sada sukhiraho
om namash shiva
shiv ki shakti ne
mere rom rom
ko chuha
karma dharma
mansikta ka kua

Satish Malavade Shoots Ravan And I Shoot Them Both

Ravan..

Ravan.. by firoze shakir photographerno1
Ravan.., a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Sita Ma

Sita Ma by firoze shakir photographerno1
Sita Ma, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sita (also spelled Seeta or Seetha Hindustani pronunciation: [sītā], About this sound listen (help·info) meaning "furrow") is the central female character of the Hindu epic Ramayana.[1][2] She is the consort of the Hindu god Rama (avatar of Vishnu) and is an avatar of Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and wife of Vishnu. She is esteemed as a standard-setter for wifely and womanly virtues for all Hindu women.[3] Sita is known for her dedication, self-sacrifice, courage and purity.
Sita is described as the daughter of the earth goddess Bhūmi and the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and Queen Sunayna. In her youth, she marries Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. Soon after her marriage, she is forced into exile with her husband and brother-in-law Lakshmana. While in exile, the trio settle in the Dandaka forest, from where she is abducted by the Ravana, Rakshasa King of Lanka. She is imprisoned in the Ashoka Vatika of Lanka by Ravana. Sita is finally rescued by Rama in the climatic war where Rama slays Ravana. Sita proves her chastity by undergoing a trial by fire. Thereafter, Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya, where they are crowned as king and queen. However, Rama abandons a pregnant Sita when one of his subjects casts doubt over her chastity. In the refuge of Sage Valmiki's hermitage Sita gives birth to twins Lava and Kusha. After her sons grow up and unite with their father, Sita returns to her mother, the Earth's womb for release from a cruel world after refusing another test of her purity.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology and other names
2 Life
2.1 Birth
2.2 Marriage
2.3 Exile and abduction
2.4 Abandonment and later life
3 Speeches in the Ramayana
4 Symbolism
5 Portrayal
5.1 As a feminist issue
6 Temples
7 See also
8 References
8.1 Citations
9 External links
Etymology and other names[edit source | editbeta]


Deities of Sita (far right), Rama (center), Lakshmana (far left) and Hanuman (below seated) at the Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford England
She is best known by the name Sita, derived from the Sanskrit word sīta, which means furrow.[4] According to Ramayana, Janaka found her while ploughing as a part of a yagna and adopted her. The word sīta was a poetic term in ancient India, its imagery redolent of fecundity and the many blessings coming from settled agriculture. The Sita of the Ramayana may have been named after a more ancient Vedic goddess Sita, who is mentioned once in the Rigveda as an earth goddess who blesses the land with good crops. In the Vedic era, She was one of the goddesses associated with fertility. A Vedic hymn (Rig Veda 4:57) recites:
“Auspicious Sita, come thou near;
We venerate and worship thee
That thou mayst bless and prosper us
And bring us fruits abundantly.

In Harivansha Sita has been invoked as one of the names of goddess Arya:
“O goddess, you are the altar's center in the sacrifice,
The priest's fee
Sita to those who hold the plough
And Earth to all living being.

The Kausik-sutra and the Paraskara-sutra associate her repeatedly as the wife of Parjanya (a god associated with rains) and Indra.[4]
Sita is known by many epithets. She is called Jānaki as the daughter of Janaka; Maithili as the princess of Mithila'.[5] As the wife of Rama, she is called Ramā. Her father Janaka had earned the sobriquet Videha due to his ability to transcend body consciousness; Sita is therefore also known as Vaidehi.[5]
Life[edit source | editbeta]

Birth[edit source | editbeta]
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Sita's origin has been the subject of scholarly studies. Sita's birth and parentage have been depicted differently in different versions of Ramayana.[6]
Valmiki's Ramayana: In Valmiki's Ramayana and Kamban's Tamil epic Ramavataram, Sita is said to have discovered in a furrow in a ploughed field, and for that reason is regarded as a daughter of Bhūmi Devi[7] (the goddess earth), Sita Birthstar is Ashlesha Constellation in Chaitra month. She was discovered, adopted and brought up by Janaka, king of Mithila, and his wife Sunayana.
Ramayana Manjari: In Ramayana Manjari (verses 344–366), North-western and Bengal recensions of Valmiki Ramayana, it has been described as on hearing a voice from the sky and then seeing Menaka, Janaka expresses his wish to obtain a child. And when he finds the child, he hears the same voice again telling him the infant is his spiritual child, born of Menaka.[6]
Janka's real daughter: In Ramopkhyana of the Mahabharata and also in Paumachariya of Vimala Suri, Sita has been depicted as Janaka's real daughter. According to Rev. Fr. C. Bulcke, this motif that Sita was the real daughter of Janaka, as described in Ramopkhyana Mahabharata was based on the authentic version of Valmiki Ramayana. Later the story of Sita miraculously appearing in furrow was inserted in Valmiki Ramayana.[6]
Reincarnation of Vedavati: Some versions of the Ramayana suggest that Sita was a reincarnation of Vedavati. Ravana tried to molest Vedavati and her chastity was sullied beyond Ravana's redemption when she was performing penance to become consort of Vishnu. Vedavati immolated herself on a pyre to escape Ravana lust, vowing to return in another age and be the cause of Ravana's destruction. She was duly reborn as Sita.[6]
Reincarnation of Manivati: According to Gunabhadra's Uttara Purana of the ninth century BCE, Ravana disturbs asceticism of Manivati, daughter of Amitavega of Alkapuri, and she pledges to take revenge on Ravana. Manivati is later reborn as the daughter of Ravana and Mandodari. But, astrologers predict ruin of Ravana because of this child. So, Ravana orders to kill the child. Manivati is placed in a casket and buried in the ground of Mithila where she is discovered by some of the farmers of the kingdom. Then Janka, king of that state adopts her.[6]
Ravana's daughter: In Sanghadasa's Jaina version of Ramayana of the 5th century BCE, Sita, entitled Vasudevahindi, is born as daughter of Ravana. According to this version, astrologers predict that first child of Vidyadhara Maya (Ravana's wife) will destroy his lineage. That's why Ravana abandons her and orders the infant to be buried in a distant land where she is later discovered and adopted by Janka.[6]
Marriage[edit source | editbeta]


Rama placed a flower crown on Sita's head
When Sita reaches adulthood, Janaka organises a swayamwara with the condition that Sita would marry only that person who would be able to string Pinak Dhanu (bow of Shiva). Janaka knew, the bow of Shiva was not even liftable let alone stringable for ordinary mortals and for selfish person it was not even approachable. Thus, Janaka tries to find the best husband for Sita.
At this time Vishvamitra had brought Rama and the other one, Lakshmana to the forest for the protection of sacrifice. Hearing about this swayamwara, Vishvamitra asks Rama to participate in the swayamwara and takes Rama and Lakshmana to the palace of Janaka. Janaka is greatly pleased to learn that Rama and Lakshmana are sons of Dasharatha. Next morning, in the middle of the hall, Rama lifts up the bow of Shiva with his left, fastens the string tightly and finally breaks the bow. And thus Rama fulfils Janaka's condition to marry Sita. Later on Vivaha Panchami, a marriage ceremony is conducted under the guidance of Satananda. Rama marries Sita, Bharata marries Mandavi, Lakshmana marries Urmila and Shatrughna marries Shrutakirti.[2]Janaki Mandir
Exile and abduction[edit source | editbeta]


Ravana cuts off Jatayu's wing while abducting Sita, by Ravi Varma
Some time after the wedding, circumstances forced Rama to leave Ayodhya and spend a period of exile in the forests of Dandaka and later Panchavati. Sita willingly renounced the comforts of the palace and joined her husband in braving exile, even living in the Dandaka and Panchavati forests. The Panchavati forest became the scene for her abduction by Ravana, King of Lanka. Ravana kidnapped Sita, disguising himself as a brahmana mendicant, or begging holy-man, while her husband was away fetching a magnificent golden deer to please her. Some versions of the Ramayana describe that Sita takes refuge with the fire-god Agni, while Maya Sita, her illusionary double, is kidnapped by the demon-king. Jatayu, the vulture-king, who was a friend of Dasratha (Rama's father), tried to protect Sita but Ravana chopped off his wings. Jatayu survived long enough to inform Rama of what had happened.
Ravana took her back to his kingdom in Lanka, and Sita was held as a prisoner in one of his palaces. During her captivity for a year in Lanka, Ravana expressed his desire for her; however, Sita refused his advances and struggled to maintain her chastity. Hanuman was sent by Rama to seek Sita and eventually succeeded in discovering Sita's whereabouts. Sita gave Hanuman her jewellery and asked him to give it to her husband. However, Hanuman was caught by Lankan forces. Hanuman was about to be executed and burnt in a bonfire when he managed to escape and in return burned down the Lanka capital city.
Sita was finally rescued by Rama, who waged a famous battle to defeat Ravana. Upon rescue, Rama worried about the future of human society – that no man or woman may use this as an excuse to live with each other without marriage – makes Sita walk on fire to prove her chastity.
in some version of ramayana, during this test the fire-deity #Agni appears in front of Ram and hands over him the real Sita as during the abduction she was already taken away from Ravan, while he was fighting with #jatayu. Whom Ravan took to Lanka there-after is Chhaya-Sita, a shodow of Sita.[citation needed]
The Thailand version of the Ramayana, however, tells of Sita walking on the fire, of her own accord, to feel clean, as opposed to jumping in it. She is not burnt, the coals turn to lotuses. Walking on live coals is still a common custom in the south of India.[citation needed]
Abandonment and later life[edit source | editbeta]
The couple came back to Ayodhya, where Rama was crowned king with Sita by his side. While Rama's trust and affection for Sita never wavered, it soon became evident that some people in Ayodhya could not accept Sita's long captivity under the power of Ravana.


Sita returns to the Earth's womb with her mother as Rama, her sons and sages watch in astonishment.
During Rama's period of rule, an intemperate washerman, while berating his wayward wife, declared that he was "no pusillanimous Rama who would take his wife back after she had lived in the house of another man". This statement was reported back to Rama, who knew that the accusation of Sita was baseless. Nevertheless, he would not let slander undermine his rule, so he sent Sita away.
Thus Sita was thus forced into exile a second time; she was not only alone this time but also pregnant. Abandoned Sita wandered about in the forest and at last reached the hermitage of Valmiki who gave her refuge in his hermitage, where she delivered twin sons named Kusha and Luv or Lava. The other hermits discouraged Valmiki giving Sita shelter and protection and saying, "Sita is impure, otherwise her husband would not have abandoned her".[2]
In the hermitage, Sita raised her sons alone, as a single mother.[8] They grew up to be valiant and intelligent, and were eventually united with their father. Once she had witnessed the acceptance of her children by Rama, Sita sought final refuge in the arms of her mother Bhūmi. Hearing her plea for release from an unjust world and from a life that had rarely been happy, the earth dramatically split open; Bhūmi appeared and took Sita away to a better world.
Speeches in the Ramayana[edit source | editbeta]

While the Ramayana mostly concentrates on Rama's actions, Sita also speaks many times during the exile. The first time is in the town of Chitrakuta where she narrates an ancient story to Rama, whereby Rama promises to Sita that he will never kill anybody without provocation.
The second time Sita is shown talking prominently is when she speaks to Ravana. Ravana has come to her in the form of a Brahmin and Sita tells him that he doesn't look like one.
Some of her most prominent speeches are with Hanuman when he reaches Lanka. Hanuman wants an immediate union of Rama and Sita, and thus he proposes to Sita to ride on his back. Sita refuses as she does not want to run away like a thief; instead she wants her husband Rama to come and defeat Ravana to save her.
Symbolism[edit source | editbeta]

A female deity of agricultural fertility by the name Sita was known before Valmiki's Ramayana, but was overshadowed by more well-known goddesses associated with fertility. According to the Ramayana, Sita was discovered in a furrow when Janaka was ploughing. Since Janaka was a king, it is likely that plowing was part of a royal ritual to ensure fertility of the land. Sita is considered to be the child of the Mother Earth, produced by the union between the king and the land. Sita is a personification of the Earth's fertility, abundance, and well-being.
Portrayal[edit source | editbeta]


Janaki Mandir of Janakpur, Nepal a center of pilgrimage where the wedding of Rama and Sita as vivaha festival is re-enacted.
Sita has been a much revered figure amongst the Hindus. In the blurring of the boundary between religion and mythology, between history and fiction, she has been portrayed as an ideal daughter, an ideal wife, and an ideal mother. These portrayals of her never change, and are more or less constant in various texts, stories, illustrations, and even movies and modern media. Sita is often worshipped with Rama as his consort. The occasion of her marriage to Rama is celebrated as Vivaha Panchami.
The actions, reactions and instincts manifested by Sita at every juncture in a long and arduous life are deemed exemplary. Her story has been portrayed in the book Sitayanam.[9] The values that She enshrined and adhered to at every point in the course of a demanding life are the values of womanly virtue held sacred by countless generations of Nepalese and Indians.
What is ambiguous is her portrayal as an ideal queen. Was she a good statesperson? Was she a warrior? Her sacrifices and actions are most often portrayed in her personal capacity and not as a governance figure. Sita was abducted because she had to step out of the safety line to give alms to Ravan disguised as a Brahmin. The giving of alms to Brahmin in those times was more of a duty to be performed, rather than an optional charitable act. This held true more so for the royals and they were to lead by example. Also, the incident of Sita's refusal to come back with Hanuman like a common thief, her renunciation of queen-hood and exile from Ayodhya after her return. All her key aspects are shown in a favourable light, but not as a head of state, but as an ideal woman. This is in stark contrast to Rama, who is always portrayed also as an ideal king who was just and fair and always thought of his people before all else in addition to being depicted as an ideal husband and an ideal son.
Popular culture sees Sita as an abla nari or a helpless woman. She is portrayed as someone who needs support and assistance of the male folk in the myth. However, this would have to be balanced with Sita's steadfast demonstration of honour and dignity, compelling her to both enter the fire and to ask Mother Earth to take her from a setting filled with pain and misunderstanding. In this light, Sita becomes a complex figure of what it means to be a woman.[citation needed]
As a feminist issue[edit source | editbeta]


The God of the Fire rose from the midst
From a feminist perspective, Sita's story is illustrative of subjugation of women in Hindu culture especially in comparison to Durga who is a symbol of female raw force:
She fits the classic damsel in distress stereotype, waiting to be rescued by a man. Indeed she takes it a step further and refuses to be rescued by anyone other than her man.
She alone is suspected of adultery by Rama and her subjects, and forced to prove her innocence. Rama is never asked to undergo the trial by fire to prove he was faithful to her, and neither is he doubted by his subjects or by Sita.
Rama banishes Sita to the forest for merely having been accused of adultery by citizens of Ayodhya.
Years later, when Rama meets her again through coincidence, he hesitates to take her back, causing Sita to call up her mother Bhūmi and be subsumed into the earth (which may arguably be a metaphor for suicide).
Thus from a feminist perspective, to hold Sita up as an example of the ideal woman and wife is to endorse male supremacy and female subservience; and to endorse Rama as the ideal husband is to endorse misogyny.
Temples[edit source | editbeta]

Janaki Mandir, located at Janakpur, Nepal
Sita Māī Temple,situated in Sitamai village in the Karnal district of Haryana in North India

I Accidentally Became A Poet Through Pictures I Shot


a camera
held in my
hands
a cascade
of words
it bought
capturing
my restless
angst in
a cosmic
plot ,,
deleted
doomed
the agony
of falling
in love
an emptiness '
of body mind
soul is all
i got
entrapped
again at
the very
same spot

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