Marziya Destinys Child

Marziya Destinys Child
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

photo digitally enhanced by ppc

Marziya Shakir our first grandchild turns two months today.
She was born on Nov 24th 2007.
This evening dressed in her black hijab she has gone with her mother and her grandmother, my wife for two majlis at Yari Road.
She will return at 10 pm.
This is the turning point in a Shia childs life, dont be surprised if you see them spontaneously beating their tiny chests , this is the first sign of recognition of a Shia Child..

Marziya loves the camera, and gives me the most endearing poses.
Here my neighbor Ppc has added a magical quality , that says grapes are not sour if they are within your fates grasp..

Marziya says grapes are not sour
with the application of your cosmic mind
you bring hither
within your grasp
what is far
our familys
newest twinkling star
love poetry hate racism
make peace give up war
even beauty hides
within a scar

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

close up of the cleaver and meat chopper

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

This is cleaver or meat chopper , a deadly weapon , that can cause much harm, and this guy has bought it to hit his back, his chest ..

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

The Kama Matam at Kaser Bagh is the deadliest..Munna Bhai handles the event with sincerity and extreme devotion, the same dagger is used by many people washed rapidly and there are different types of daggers in Munna Bhais collection..

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

The scourgings at Kaiser Bagh continue and the guys dont let go, and the place is jam packed, the juloos moves in circles and the scourgings and kama matam takes place in the circle

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

The Iranian Sword has a split blade , like a fork, this was hand crafted in Tabrez, and bought to India.This is a deadly weapon , very sharp, the handle made of wood.
This guy who was using this sword was an expert,and sword matam requires technique and wrist agility..He swings the sword from the front and the scourgers move out of his way..nobody dare come in the path of the moving sword blade..
His friends helped me take pictures of the event, as I was being pushed from all sides..and this was one hell of a photo session..

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh

9 Moharam at Kaiser Bagh
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

After the Amin Juloos the mourners move to Fotowat and the scourgings forehead cutting continues, I reached Fotowat , but decided not to shoot here as I was tired and thought I would be late when this procession from Fotowat moves to its final destination at Kaiser Bagh..
Only this time at Kaiser Bagh I did not shoot from the dias or atop a table, instead I sat with a group that was going to do a sword matam with a double blade Iranian sword..
All the pictures at Fickr photostream,...
This is a long series too, I had the urge to take a dagger and cut myself but I let reason prevail, I was here to shoot pictures .

9th Moharam Amin Imambada

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..

9th Moharam Amin Imambada

9th Moharam Amin Imambada
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

This is harcore dagger matam, wth which you cut open your forehead and your headknown in Shia parlance as KAMAZANI..
The daggers are mostly Indian made , but of late there has been a great fascination for Chinese daggers and short swords.
Habib Nasser and Baqar Nasser use Japanese Ninja machetes.. of permanent carbonised steel...
Some guys use Iranian hand made swords.. Habib cut his back he needed 200 stitches, and Mamu from Byculla I wont tell you more, you will see it in my Ashura in Mumbai set..or I will make another set Ashura at Amin Imambada to make it cogently clear here at my Flickr photostream..What I am posting here is nothing compared to the more wilder stuff that I have on my comp..
And its tough managing over 1500 pictures or more unposted..
And I am not well, my wound on my head healed the next day, but I have caught a severe cold running nose and my vision is blurry..

9th Moharam Amin Imambada

9th Moharam Amin Imambada
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

This is the remains of Hazrat Qasim son of Imam Hassan, he was to be betrothed to Imam Hussains daughter, but he was badly massacred in the battle of Karbala , his body was trampled by running horses.Early Arab Barbarism was vicious to the defeated survivors , even after death they were robbed of their human dignity, the clothes and goods on their person stolen, this was a vicious Arab society that had not got rid of their early heretic practices..
Women were treated like chattel, made slaves , robbed of all their worldly goods, children too were not spared , beaten black and blue,, and this from the people of the land the land from where the Holy Prophet had passed through(Madina)- while all this happened at Iraq in Karbala.
There wa no Geneva convention , no respect for prisoners of war or the women and children survivors.. this is the legacy of the Jehaddis and the Talibanisation of the human soul..these were not Infidels but Muslims killing Muslims..

9th Moharam Amin Imambada

9th Moharam Amin Imambada
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

I have never shot so intensely at Amin Imambada on 9th Moharam, to be honest with all of you I am scared shitless, two years back while shooting here 9 th Moharam scourgings I almost lost my eye , a guys blade opened up my eye lid..I was plumb lucky, the first aid guy from JUST a social organisation held it cleverly applying only rose water, and I cried tears of thanks to the Almighty.I avoid this place, but this year I took my chances standing on a platform where the Iranian drums are beaten once the crowd swells in..I personally think this is a war zone situation , you can be thrown into the crowds , and here they are all in a frenzy, a spiritual resurgence of Shia faith.
These are young kids hardened in the art of self mutilation, even Death does not matter if it came while bloodletting -this is Shiasm.
I as a photographer will not talk on the rest of my pictures..but I shall explain those situations that are alien to your western culture,,
This is a very long series shot in a single night from here I left for Kaiser Bagh missing out the Fotowat juloos.
I will not post all these pictures at my other web sites ..so you will have to see them at my Flickr photostream..
While this matam was going on another dramatic event began to play you have a person impersonating Imam Hussain , and others of his family, this is Iranian passion play of the Tragedy of Karbala.
Two men dressed as women move with the cradle of Ali Asghar the Imams three month old son who was shot dead by the arrow of Harmullah an archer of the Yazidi forces,So the women in the crowd hand over their children dressed in green to these two persons and the child is placed in the Cradle for good luck,,
I thought this was very important to understand my pictures of kids hanging in mid air..
This aspect is played more vividly at Amin Imambada on 10th of Moharam Ashura another long series I have yet to post..

They Call me Shia Pandit

They Call me Shia Pandit
Originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1

they who love to bullshit
they with presumptious wit
troubled witth an ancestral guilt
flowers of falsehood that wont wilt
derogatory demean me call me
shia pandit
as I live with naga sadhus
post pictures of hinduism
to the hilt
irrespective of religiosity
man is gift to mankind
a spirituality of flesh and blood
that a single god
with different names
different avtars
confidentely rebuilt
a shia is a shia
every day is ashura everey land karbala
a thought that wont tilt
river euphrates
a leather pouch
in search of water
blood spilt..