9th Moharam Amin Imambada
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1
Shooting Moharam is a tough one.
Most of the places are restricted, so the Non Muslims could shoot at Kaisar Bagh or the streets, on the streets you have to remove your shoes, whoever you may be..this is Shiasm..
At the Amin Imambada earlier on Ashura day morning you could shoot from the top of an adjacent building, I shot from below and got better images than just top shot.To be able to capture Habib Nasser and Mamu the two sword matam veterans was wrth the effort, I missed out pictures at Habib Hospital where I could have shot the Doctor stitching up Habibs back and ensuing 200 stitches..
Most of the guys like Mamu who had cut his back viciously at the Byculla Railway Juloos again cut the same back with a gash already unhealed as the size of a small ball.Everyone told Mamu not to do the Sword Matam but he insisted and in one stroke opened up the earlier wound.. but Mamu does not believe in Hospitals or stitches ..this is Ghame Hussain..an aspect of importance in Shiasm.
The pictures of Amin Ashura I will post later here at Flickr..
So shooting Moharam is photographing the inner pain of the Shia ethos..dangerous as anything can hit you, you have to be deadly certain , the flagellating blades ae over 18" and they hurt badly.
I shot the Ag Ka Matam or the Fire walk on Tuesday 22 Jan, at the Khoja Kabrastan known as Arambagh, a very pcturesque Shia Khoja cemetery and very old graves tombstones including that of Mr Jinnahs wife I shot this too..all on flash.
The fire Matam is prepared by Safdar Mohomed and his friends from Bhavnagar Gujrat..
I took some amazing shots that I call Taal -shots of feet and fire..no heads no body.
The kids , the Sajjads all walk on fire..
They did not allow Munna to recite the Namaz on Fire..
