100,716 items / 620,561 views
poignant pathos
a heart beat skips
pendulous movements
of her hips
the hijra with the
pouted lips
her inner pain
in a micro chip
her elusive hopes
as they rise and dip
feminine fragility
held to a hair clip
layer after layer
her clothes
they will strip
a libidinous lechery
they will unzip
a record in motion
they will flip
holding her
in a snake like grip
passionate lashings
of a whip
the hijra
her life of sexual hardship
embedded in the soul
of a filmstrip
man to man
a dichotomous courtship
an androgynous amorphous
strange kinship
round and round
a one way trip
the hijra playing to
the gallery
without a script
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Hijra With The Pouted Lips
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Final March
100,713 items / 616,120 views
in days of old
nationalism
the spirit of freedom
was a torch
held high
service sacrifice
for the country
was the only cry
every man
for the nation
willing to die
things have changed
as time went by
now selling off the nation
is the politicians reply
mega bucks in kick backs
telgi scam every kind of con
by the next guy
towers reaching
god in the sky
the poor man
living in a pigsty
divide and rule
as they their trade
of hate bigotry ply
religion in the hands
of brokers who
hateful means apply
brother against brother
no outcry
while the nation bleeds
the defeated soul
lets out a sigh
Tears on The Soul of Meena Bazar
100,716 items / 618,549 views
Muslims love killing Muslims
by far
destabilizing the Peace
of the world a state of war
blood shed on a ripped door
a human tragedy guts and gore
bodies strewn on a wounded
floor misplaced martyrdom
via a bomb
placed in a car
tears on the soul of meena bazar
on the collective conscience
of Islam yet another scar
a bleeding crescent
of times that are
misplaced jehad
a lost cause
of a fallen star
a mothers womb
an unborn child
his memoir
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Street Photography and God
100,713 items / 616,718 views
This was shot last evening from a moving rickshah that was taking me to Juhu to shoot the Chhat Puja 2009..I saw this as fast as fast can be,, and call it rapid reflex, I had her in my camera power ,entrapped forever.. a fleeting moment frozen as street photography.
I shoot as is were is basis, I will get a picture , a picture too has its own destiny..if I was destined to shoot it..
About Chhat Puja , I dont know if I was really in a mood of mind to shoot it , I was under terrible stress , I am relocating my shop , and nothing was falling in place, everything was against me , and my slow recovery due to viral fever, but I left it to the Almighty whose travel brochures I shoot free of charge..I promote his universal spirituality , I promote the diverse culture of my country..without seeking gain or profit or a room with a view in Heaven..and God does take care of me in more ways than one..
This one was for God..
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Chakka's Last Sigh
100,681 items / 616,038 views
they say
boys will always be boyz
but an exceptional to the rule
a nubile body a feminine voice
serendipitous sexuality
androgynous poise
hail the hijra
castrated calamity
tears on turquoise
hijra by fate hijra by choice
man as hijra reborn rejoice
woman like mans playful toy
a silent soliloquy among
grass root noise
missing vagina
testicular tragedy
hopes gone moist
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Mr Sanjay Nirupam and Me At Chhat Puja 2009
100,348 items / 615,278 views
I start a new set at my Flickr photo stream, Chhat Puja 2009 ..I shot it this evening, barefeet dressed like a tiger cub no pun intended...the latest flavor and statement post election in Maharashtra.
I shot from end of the beach to another,Mr Sanjay Nirupams podium was very grand and awesome, the entire crowd was watching the song recital from the beach, I met him took a few frames and left..
I have been shooting the Chhat Puja Festival from the time Mr Sanjay Nirupam placed it on the festival map of Mumbai in a very big way.
I have tried never to miss this festival , and today I was in real bad shape I have not recovered from my viral fever but I made it to the beach...overriding all odds.
About Chhat Puja from Wikipedia
Chhath (Hindi: छठ, also called Dala Chhath) is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Surya, the chief solar deity, unique to Bihar, Jharkhand and the Terai[1]. This major festival is also celebrated in the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Chhattisgarh. Even in Tamil Nadu, the migrants from the north celebrate Chhath. Hymns praying to the sun can be found in the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. Practiced in different parts of India, the worship of the sun has been described in the Rigveda.
The word chhath denotes the number 6 in Hindi [2]and the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, which corresponds to months of October and November in the Gregorian calendar (a week after Diwali). Chhath is the holiest Hindu festival of Bihar & eastern UP. It extends to four days.
The ancient Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata has references to Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, worshipping the sun, which was believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and ensure longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders. In addition, it is believed that Chhath was started by Karna, the son of Surya, who became a great warrior and fought against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War.
This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any priest (Pandit). People celebrates this festival by thier own.
It is celebrated twice a year: once in the summers (May-July), called the Chaiti Chhath, and once in the winter (September-November) around a week after Deepawali, called the Kartik Chhath. The latter is more popular because winters are the usual festive season in North India, and Chhath, being an arduous observance, requiring the worshippers to fast without water for more than 24 hours, is easier to undertake in the Indian winters.
Chhath is mainly a Bihari festival, and so it is celebrated wherever people from Bihar have migrated. This is a ritual bathing festival that follows a period of abstinence and ritual segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days. During this period, the worshiper observes ritual purity, and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket. The main worshipers, called Parvaitin (from Sanskrit parv, meaning 'occasion' or 'festival'), are usually women. However, a large number of men also observe this festival. The parvaitin pray for the well-being of their family, for prosperity and offspring. They can only perform Chhath if it is passed on to them from their older generation. However, once they decide to do it, it becomes their duty to perform it every year. The festival is skipped only if there happens to be a death in the family that year.
On the eve of Chhath, houses and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned. One the first day of the festival, the worshiper cooks a traditional vegetarian meal and offers it to the Sun God. This day is called Naha-Kha (literally, 'Bathe and eat'!). The worshiper allows herself/himself only one meal on this day.
On the second day, a special ritual, called Kharna, is performed in the evening after Sun down. On this day also, the worshiper eats his/her only meal from the offerings (Prashad) made to the Sun God in this ritual. Friends and family are invited to the household on this day to share the prashad of the ritual. From this day onwards, for the next 36 hours, the worshiper goes on a fast without water.
The evening of the next day, the entire household accompanies the worshiper to a ritual bathing and worship of the Sun God, usually on the bank of a river, or a common large water body. The occasion is almost a carnival. Besides the main worshiper, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshipper. Ritual rendition of regional folk songs, carried on through oral transmission from mothers and mothers-in-law to daughters and daughters-in-law, are sung on this occasion. The same bathing ritual is repeated on the following day at the crack of dawn. This is when the worshipper breaks his/her fast and finishes the ritual. Chhath being celebrated at the crack of the dawn on a river bank is a beautiful, elating spiritual experience connecting the modern Indian to his ancient cultural roots.
The folk songs sung on the eve of Chhath mirror the culture, social structure, mythology and history of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nowadays, modern Chhath songs, largely Bollywood film remixes have caught on, but the old tradition still goes strong with a great degree of sanctity. The three main linguistic regions of Bihar: the Maithili, the Magadhi, and the Bhojpuri, and all the various dialects associated with these, have different folk songs; but have an underlying unity in their dedicated to Chhath. The minor nuances of the Chhath rituals, such as in the Kharna ritual, vary from region to region, and also across families, but still there is a fundamental similarity.
[edit] Yogic Viewpoint
As per the yogic view point word Chhath is a compound of two words; Chah means 6 stages and Hath refers to the science of Hath Yog (austerity). The word Chhath refers to the process of consciously obtaining the solar energy through 6 stages involving the methods similar to Hath Yog. Hath here refers to the austerities like fasting, standing in water, etc. This entire process has been termed by the yogis as a Conscious Photoenergization Process having 6 stages.
Stage 1: Fasting and the discipline of cleanliness leads to detoxification of the body and mind. This stage prepares the body and mind of the Vratti (devotee) to receive the cosmic solar energy.
Stage 2: Standing in a water body with half the body (navel deep) in the water minimizes the leak of energy and helps the prana (psychic energy) to move up the sushumna (psychic channel in the spine).
Stage 3: Cosmic Solar Energy enters the Vratti’s pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands (Triveni complex) through retina and optic nerves.
Stage 4: Activation of Triveni (tri-glandular complex) Pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus
Stage 5: A kind of Polarization of happens in the spine, which results in the Vratti’s gross and subtle bodies getting transformed into a cosmic powerhouse. This can also lead to the awakening of the latent psychic energy popularly known as the Kundalini Shakti.
Stage 6: The body of Vratti (devotee) becomes a channel, which conducts, recycles and transmits the energy into the entire universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhath
http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/4039306459/
Add a caption
Mr Sanjay Nirupam and Me At Chhat Puja 2009 100,348 items / 615,278 views I start a new set at my Flickr photo stream, Chhat Puja 2009 ..I shot it this evening, barefeet dressed like a tiger cub no pun intended...the latest flavor and statement post election in Maharashtra. I shot from end of the beach to another,Mr Sanjay Nirupams podium was very grand and awesome, the entire crowd was watching the song recital from the beach, I met him took a few frames and left.. I have been shooting the Chhat Puja Festival from the time Mr Sanjay Nirupam placed it on the festival map of Mumbai in a very big way. I have tried never to miss this festival , and today I was in real bad shape I have not recovered from my viral fever but I made it to the beach...overriding all odds. About Chhat Puja from Wikipedia Chhath (Hindi: छठ, also called Dala Chhath) is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to Surya, the chief solar deity, unique to Bihar, Jharkhand and the Terai[1]. This major festival is also celebrated in the northeast region of India, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Chhattisgarh. Even in Tamil Nadu, the migrants from the north celebrate Chhath. Hymns praying to the sun can be found in the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. Practiced in different parts of India, the worship of the sun has been described in the Rigveda. The word chhath denotes the number 6 in Hindi [2]and the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, which corresponds to months of October and November in the Gregorian calendar (a week after Diwali). Chhath is the holiest Hindu festival of Bihar & eastern UP. It extends to four days. The ancient Sanskrit epic Mahābhārata has references to Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, worshipping the sun, which was believed to help cure a variety of diseases, including leprosy, and ensure longevity and prosperity of family members, friends, and elders. In addition, it is believed that Chhath was started by Karna, the son of Surya, who became a great warrior and fought against the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra War. This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any priest (Pandit). People celebrates this festival by thier own. It is celebrated twice a year: once in the summers (May-July), called the Chaiti Chhath, and once in the winter (September-November) around a week after Deepawali, called the Kartik Chhath. The latter is more popular because winters are the usual festive season in North India, and Chhath, being an arduous observance, requiring the worshippers to fast without water for more than 24 hours, is easier to undertake in the Indian winters. Chhath is mainly a Bihari festival, and so it is celebrated wherever people from Bihar have migrated. This is a ritual bathing festival that follows a period of abstinence and ritual segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days. During this period, the worshiper observes ritual purity, and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket. The main worshipers, called Parvaitin (from Sanskrit parv, meaning 'occasion' or 'festival'), are usually women. However, a large number of men also observe this festival. The parvaitin pray for the well-being of their family, for prosperity and offspring. They can only perform Chhath if it is passed on to them from their older generation. However, once they decide to do it, it becomes their duty to perform it every year. The festival is skipped only if there happens to be a death in the family that year. On the eve of Chhath, houses and surroundings are scrupulously cleaned. One the first day of the festival, the worshiper cooks a traditional vegetarian meal and offers it to the Sun God. This day is called Naha-Kha (literally, 'Bathe and eat'!). The worshiper allows herself/himself only one meal on this day. On the second day, a special ritual, called Kharna, is performed in the evening after Sun down. On this day also, the worshiper eats his/her only meal from the offerings (Prashad) made to the Sun God in this ritual. Friends and family are invited to the household on this day to share the prashad of the ritual. From this day onwards, for the next 36 hours, the worshiper goes on a fast without water. The evening of the next day, the entire household accompanies the worshiper to a ritual bathing and worship of the Sun God, usually on the bank of a river, or a common large water body. The occasion is almost a carnival. Besides the main worshiper, there are friends and family, and numerous participants and onlookers, all willing to help and receive the blessings of the worshipper. Ritual rendition of regional folk songs, carried on through oral transmission from mothers and mothers-in-law to daughters and daughters-in-law, are sung on this occasion. The same bathing ritual is repeated on the following day at the crack of dawn. This is when the worshipper breaks his/her fast and finishes the ritual. Chhath being celebrated at the crack of the dawn on a river bank is a beautiful, elating spiritual experience connecting the modern Indian to his ancient cultural roots. The folk songs sung on the eve of Chhath mirror the culture, social structure, mythology and history of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nowadays, modern Chhath songs, largely Bollywood film remixes have caught on, but the old tradition still goes strong with a great degree of sanctity. The three main linguistic regions of Bihar: the Maithili, the Magadhi, and the Bhojpuri, and all the various dialects associated with these, have different folk songs; but have an underlying unity in their dedicated to Chhath. The minor nuances of the Chhath rituals, such as in the Kharna ritual, vary from region to region, and also across families, but still there is a fundamental similarity. [edit] Yogic Viewpoint As per the yogic view point word Chhath is a compound of two words; Chah means 6 stages and Hath refers to the science of Hath Yog (austerity). The word Chhath refers to the process of consciously obtaining the solar energy through 6 stages involving the methods similar to Hath Yog. Hath here refers to the austerities like fasting, standing in water, etc. This entire process has been termed by the yogis as a Conscious Photoenergization Process having 6 stages. Stage 1: Fasting and the discipline of cleanliness leads to detoxification of the body and mind. This stage prepares the body and mind of the Vratti (devotee) to receive the cosmic solar energy. Stage 2: Standing in a water body with half the body (navel deep) in the water minimizes the leak of energy and helps the prana (psychic energy) to move up the sushumna (psychic channel in the spine). Stage 3: Cosmic Solar Energy enters the Vratti’s pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus glands (Triveni complex) through retina and optic nerves. Stage 4: Activation of Triveni (tri-glandular complex) Pineal, pituitary and hypothalamus Stage 5: A kind of Polarization of happens in the spine, which results in the Vratti’s gross and subtle bodies getting transformed into a cosmic powerhouse. This can also lead to the awakening of the latent psychic energy popularly known as the Kundalini Shakti. Stage 6: The body of Vratti (devotee) becomes a channel, which conducts, recycles and transmits the energy into the entire universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chhath
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Was God Incapable of Creating a Hijra !
100,347 items / 614,823 views
creating man was easy , creating woman was a bit complicated and god would have a gone a step ahead but time was short , far too short and creating the hijra god left to man , man engineered the hijra through his restless angst..the hijra is the most exotic creature holding two entities within one...
man created the hijra from his androgynous soul with an amorphous form, delicate, yet strong, the hijra is a born dancer the best in the world...they have mastered the technique pirouetting their lithe bodies on fire wind or air..
since the time i began shooting hjras i captured their fairy tale persona on wings..the most beautiful moments of a mujrewali hijra , is when she begins her make up, they would put the greatest stylist to shame,the transformation is poetry, than she enters the privacy of the kotha , kissing the floor , while the musicians begin their piece , madam fully decked pan juice reddening her lips she give a glint of a smile , a lot of pride for her protege..
the clients are rich overloaded bhais from dongri, null bazar , all in white clothes , the bulge of their country made pistols no pun intended..and with their cronies around them..the lights are dim , the tunes are sad , wife children , the rigors of hard day all forgotten,
the setting could be bacchu bhais wadi, congress house famous for mujra, or a cottage at Madh Island..the mujrewalis stay at hijra gully no1kamatipura, a sleepy lane populated by wagris and hijras..
i had taken my american friend dr losack md the furious physician, but the building was being repaired and my friend hijra guru zeenath was not around..hijra gully no 1 visit it once before you close your eyes..
so this is the enchanting world of the hijra nautch girl, even god could not create her she is a pure craftsmanship a masterpiece alas only in her hey days..
i met a lot of them over the years at haji malang during the urus, at peela house mumbai cages purely for pictorial reasons, and the greatest hijra abode ajmer sharif..
i met such beautiful dancing girls nameless but with beautiful faces ..kind hospitable and some arrogant conceited too..the hijra and my own soul is locked in a battle within the soul of a memory card..i knew a young nubile boy a shia he would meet me at govandi during moharam, or in town during our scourging , and than i met him , he had changed come to terms with his sexuality , he had become a full blown hijra..
hijras are articulate and can be crafty too, i have been lucky to befriend some of the most beautiful hijras, and show them to you without scars or blemish., they maybe wounded badly within..
i met the hijra bawas a very rare breed danced the kaif with my camera around my neck , went into a trance at char yar without any drugs..and the irony is i am able to touch the holy shrine in spite of my precarious position in life..ajmer beckons me moti katra, sola khamba i must be the only one who shots the hijras the bawas the malangs and the rafaees..
as i have stopped shooting ganesh visarjan at girgaum chowpatty ,i dont meet hijras any more , mostly from kamati pura , i have been following lal bagh ka raja instead from labagh to kumbharwada for two years barefeet..i am barefeet at ajmer and haji malang too.
why do i shoot hijras i wish i knew, they stalk my soul as i stalk their souls, hijras come in all sizes all shapes i have met hijras who wanted me to shoot them in their birthday suits i politely refused , this is not why i shoot hijras ..i hardly gives pictures of hijras i have shot the only hijra i made the exception was heena hijda queen from peela house , i gave her 200 copies ..
and heena loves me like no hijra has, and this is a pure sufi brotherly love she considers me like her elder brother, ..on ashura i cut my head very badly and the sahara newspaper carried my picture, heena called me to her quarters on 11 moharam , pleading with not to cut myself badly with tears in her eyes and this beautiful hijra was a few years back kidnapped by the greatest don of mumbai now dead..perhaps this why i shoot hijras not as a blogger not as a voyeur not as a photographer ..heena wanted me to come to raipur for a hijra conference she offered me a ticked boarding lodging but i could not accept her offer..
i have not met her since a very long time, she has changed her number too and i hardly go to town..the other hijra influence are the beggar hijras but i hare not met them too since a long time..i have cut down my blogging time at flickr, so perhaps this illness is making me empty out my bin of memories..
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thank You Ya Khuda - Break Dance of Democracy Ends
Thank You Ya Khuda - Break Dance of Democracy Ends, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
100,345 items / 614,282 views
Mr Baba Siddiqui erstwhile sitting MLA Mumbai Congress I/ NCP combine , won from the Vandre Constituency with a very slender margin defeating Advocate Ashish Shelar , since the results were announced there was some inter party skirmishes but the immediate arrival of the Mumbai Police saw calm and a greater calm prevailed at Bandra Bazar Road..basically it is vested interest bent on disturbing the canvas of peace of Bandra the Queen of Suburbs.
I did not shoot any pictures and thanks to the presence of the cops who were near my shop, there was a total ban on bursting of crackers..so the Congress Party NCP are back at the helm..let them bring constructive hope and solve the grievances of all concerned.
I met Advocate Ashish Shelar BJP who thanked me for shooting his rally..and hoped better luck in the next hustings and had the best regards for the winning candidate..
Now my poem
Ya Khuda
Break Dance
of Democracy ends
with your blessings
with your grace
the voter
the winner
to the Vidhan Sabha
sends ..
the loud mouthed losers
totally quiet
into the darkness blend
they have other jobs
to tend
choked
on the political
river bend
so many
fences to mend
for the sake
of the populace
their supporters
their friends
time to shake hands
make amends
the city
more important
than self on
good governance
good law and order
depends
please think
of the voters
in the hot sun
old poor very poor
who voted for you
some with their backs bent
some who never got their
voters cards were hellbent
the healing hand
is back in power
the homeless dont
torment
breaking their shanties
their tents
fires of divide and rule
dont foment
be kind to the north indians
treat them as
your own brother
without any evil intent
a new order
of peace hope and harmony
you must invent
thank them
with a nice Diwali present
Big Boss Are You Listening
100,344 items / 614,262 views
Its High Time they bought Laxmi Narayan Tripathi to the Big Bosses House bad memories erase ..She is Adab, Tehzeeb Deportment Charm and God given Grace..Beauty Brains and a Beautiful Face ..Hijda Goddess Queen of her Race ...She gives the other gender ample space , on national TV - respect culture she would showcase..
Beyond caste color or creed this human phenomenon people from all over the world will eagerly embrace..give her a chance the rest of the bunch she will outrace..and outpace..
Thursday, October 22, 2009
If Wishes Were Horses Politicians Would Ride
100,343 items / 613,680 views
Tomorrow
22 October 2009
your vote
will decide
who wins
who loses
who falls
by the side
mumbai
amchi mumbai
our beloved city
already sucked dried
another round
of unfinished
diwali
cracking
your insides
false promises
false hopes
in the past
they have lied
when the city
was taken for
ransom
by terrorists
they slept
kicking our guts
our Indian pride
watching
the city burn
from the ringside
martyred policemen
innocent dead
unnecessarily died
we put a terrorist on trial
a reality show world wide
justice a lady blind eyed
politics corruption
often go side by side
new schemes
to squeeze the poor
the builders lobby
waiting eagerly
for the returns
on the crores
they supplied
politics is purely about
money power
jo jeeta woh sikandar
more bodyguards
for themselves
for the miserable poor
well god will provide
as for mumbai
totally shanghaied
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Winding Trail..
100,342 items / 611,516 views
her world
veiled
walking
the winding
trail
from one house
to another
from one shop
to the other
her destiny
her tale
Muslim
macho society
mullahcentric
the poor Muslim
woman has failed
cornered
deprived
frontiers
with tired legs
they want her
to scale
beyond
the death of
her hopes
lies the hard hearted
Muslim Male
begging
for self respect
house arrested
in a jail
I shoot the sorrow of the Muslim female and this is not about the hijab, I have nothing against the hijab, my family wears it,.it is her unchanged life . of pain and despair..
Waiting For Good Days To Come
100,342 items / 611,433 views
strings of silence
we strum
following
a silhouette
within
a poem
of good days
elusive
playing
hide and seek
as our
respective
soul goes numb
bollywoods most wanted
exiled
from filmdom
an eternity
of sartorial
dilemma
ad naseum
the call of uhuru
death
of individual
freedom
beyond
the mind
beyond
the flesh
a matrix
of confusion
unsolved
problem
waiting
for flowers
that wont blossom
waiting
impatiently
holding
a drowning straw
of good days
to come
dedicated to nabila khanam
The Cat's Tragic Diwali Tale
100,299 items / 610,695 views
lighting the path
all over bazar road
nobody heard his wail
crackers tied
to his tail
the human
festive season
to regale
his soul
with extreme
cruelty
they did nail
smoke fire to inhale
happy diwali
to you and yours
after a few
hits views
this pedestrian story
will soon become stale
this is his calm
his patience
in detail
as he sits
dreading
the next diwali
the cat
with a lizards
cut tail
pain
overblown
from a thumbnail
I saw this cat in the morning near my shop, as the lady who feeds cats pointed out his misery to me, I called for my camera and shot a few frames.
The Hijra's Second Chance
100,298 items / 610,577 views
on shards of glass
on embers of coal
they dance
wanting society
to accept them
as humans
they deserve
a second chance
man loving man
ardh nari nareshwar
a spiritual romance
a few coins
thrown at their face
not even
a kindly glance
miscarriage of birth
karma in a trance
a beggars bowl
no advance
a deadwood future
the state wont finance
dedicated to Kalki Subramaniam.. my facebook friend..activist and a lot more..
Hijra The Missing Link
100,298 items / 610,577 views
two parallel lines
on the brink
hijra the
missing link
no voter rights
neither man nor woman
a system
to hoodwink
a finger
without ink
into the depths
of depravity
they sink
begging alms
prostituting
their androgynous souls
a poison
day in day out
they drink
the filth
the stench
the stink
like the aravanis
of Tamil Nadu
blessed by God
and the State
Maharashtra
mai baap
at sachivalya
too must rethink
better opportunities
jobs in sync
the hijras are human
ghungroos on their feet
on the soul of androgyny
as they clink
basic rights that shrink
broken headlights
that blink
born a man
he chose the color
pink
a link sent by Stephe Androgyne online
Daily News & Analysis, India
www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_eunuch-seeks-right-to-vote...
Eunuch seeks right to vote in Maharashtra Assembly polls
PTI
Sunday, September 13, 2009 11:53 IST
Mumbai: An eunuch has moved the Maharashtra State Human Rights
Commission (SHRC) seeking the right to vote for his community and
transgenders in the forthcoming state Assembly polls.
In the four-page complaint, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi termed the denial
of Right to vote as gross violation of Human Rights in the state.
Supported by a group of four law students, Tripathi demanded that the
state government should extend the fundamental right of voting to
eunuchs and transgenders.
"There is a gross violation of the human rights of eunuchs in
Maharashtra. We are not provided with ration cards and not permitted
to vote," the complaint said.
The SHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary of the state
government with a direction to ensure that departments concerned with
ration cards and voter ID cards file their reply to the complaint by
November 4.
The commission has also directed the state government to suggest in
their reply affidavit steps being taken or to be taken with this
regard.
"Tamil Nadu government has already issued ration cards to the eunuchs
of that state. It is the only state to have recognised eunuchs as a
different sex," said the complaint.
Tripathi further said that eunuchs in Maharashtra are deprived of
life, liberty and dignity.
"If we (eunuchs) are not given a chance to lead a normal life then we
are left with the ultimate choice of begging or prostitution to earn
money," the complaint states.
The commission had directed the state government to file its reply to
the complaint by August 24 but the government failed to do so
following which they have been given time till November 4.
The students -- Niraj Marjadi, Dharampal Dave, Jay Vakil and Kushal
Mehta -- had earlier this year, filed an RTI application before the
Maharashtra State Election Commission seeking to know the rights
accorded to eunuchs in the state.
"However, the election commission returned the RTI application back
saying that they cannot reply to such applications," Dave said.
Dedicated to the spirit of gutsy Laxmi Narayan Tripathi my erstwhile Hijra Guru..
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sweet Memories of Childhood
100,295 items / 609,961 views
Sweet Memories
of childhood
a time very good
touch wood
innocence
a path
to truth
never
misunderstood
childhood
as saintly
as spiritual
as sainthood
childhood
the best
passage of our life
under the grace
protective shadow
serenity
of godhood
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Diya Jale
100,288 items / 609,630 views
somewhere far away
someone has something
to say through
the silence of her soul
lighting the darkness
on the way like
a little
diya made of clay
roshni de aur khud jale
stream lighting
hope without word play
of lost moments gone astray
in the wilderness of a lonely mind
searching for happiness everyday
Friday, October 16, 2009
Happy Diwali Happy New Year To All Of You
100,274 items / 609,005 views
To all my friends , readers well wishers , fellow bloggers , photographers , poets
at Flickr, Facebook, Twitter , Wordpress , Blogspot, Orkut, Live Journal, Vox,Tumbler, Fotothing, Webshots, Scribd, Posterous.
A VERY HAPPY DIWALI A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR..
#twitterrules
100,273 items / 608,871 views
among dumb broads
couch potatoes
gum chewing mules
kids bunking
schools
twitterrules
a tweet
the soul
of a lonely planet
fuels
micro blogging
a peaceful
instrumental tool
reclined
on toadstools
interconnected
to various nodules
going round and round
in a minds whirlpool
the foolish man wiser
the wise man fool
bankrupt
yet holding
on to his family
jewels
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Marziya and The Little Man of Bandra
marziya
watches the
flip side of life
as it unfolds
first appu
the limbless man
now hyder khan
short and bold
flexible mold
out on the streets
living in the cold
distributing
shop pamphlets
of discount sale
on hill road
or used by the politicians
as a human clown
to entertain the
young and old
break dance
of democracy
a path
potholed
to glenn losack
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Colors of Mutual Hope and Harmony
100,271 items / 607,363 views
different hues
different shades
different colors
side by side
living in peace
why cant we
black white
indigenous brown
fighting
with each other
creating
chaos
disharmony
racism
like a hateful
stream
running
within our blood
silently
blood
that god gave
as single
color
to you and me
to randall der joel
my Canadian brother in Peace
Russian Roulette
100,225 items / 607,208 views
1. A stunt in which one spins the cylinder of a revolver loaded with only one bullet, aims the muzzle at one's head, and pulls the trigger.
2. An act of reckless bravado.
Russian Roulette
pictures
within
pictures
stories
from my head
words
encrypted
decoded
in the spiders net
google searching
for Marziya
on the internet
at Flickr
a story board a set
a two day old baby
her journey
you wont forget
changing
the course of my life
forever in her debt
no tear of regret
Raped In Her Sleep
does anyone care
her life her misery
her despair her agony
drunk asleep
a tragic comedy
one comes
pushes himself
into her warmth
goes away happily
than comes the druggie
pushes into her forcefully
while her child
watches haplessly
this is the dark side
of mans ignominy
casting his evil spell
to be or not to be
seminal words
re echoing a sordid
soliloquy
a film reel
that goes on and on
entirely
Mere Pas Ma Hai..
100,187 items / 606,876 views
mother dead drunk and asleep
giving birth to children
easy and cheap
lost promises
she need not keep
while her child
in the public garden
takes a tarzans leap
mere pas ma hai
says the child
watching
motherhood
on a garbage heap
molten tears
on the pavement seep
Emigration Check Not Required
100,177 items / 606,856 views
Bollywood Struggler
helpless homeless and tired
emigration check not required
his services soon will be hired
from every job each time he his fired
main hindustani an immunity acquired
amitji sharukh bhai se hai inspired
his time will come he is sure of that
for his grit and determination admired
to his celluloid dreams totally wired
if not a film star than a light man
or a dress man or a a spot boy
as fate will conspire ..
a shelf life that will never expire
Jesus Watches The Pain Of Man
100,150 items / 606,722 views
in his courtyard
standing in
long serpentine
line they wait
to cast their vote
that will change
a politicians fate
with great promises
in his speeches
he used his
line and bait
hook and sinker
no weight
with his vote
he will get
more wealth
on his plate
while the voter
living
in a fools paradise
in an unending
miserable state
taken
for a ride by
a ballot box
his future
boxed
in like
over ripe
mangoes
in a crate
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
I Cast My Vote For a Better Tomorrow
100,146 items / 606,722 views
i cast my vote
for a better tomorrow
kapda roti aur makan
beyond pedestrian sorrow
his vote the politician
need not borrow
when he dies
his useless body
will be carried
on a wheel barrow
an aborted flight of misery
of a wingless
homeless
sparrow
Andhen Kisko Vote Kare
adnhen kisko
vote kare
sabka malik ek
kiska hath dharen
salon se
raste par
yuhin hin
khaden
ab
kismet
se kya laden
ped kya dega phal
jab
chuye
kha gaye jaden
to ray framroze
my childhood friend
God Did Not Vote This Time
100,037 items / 606,524 views
god busy
bringing relief
to people all over
maharashtra
did not vote
this time
in protest
against
politicians
who for the welfare
of his people
dont care a dime
his people suffer
rising electric bills
rising taxes
rising cost of
education
living dead
in his lifetime
long live crime
says a nexus
of leaders and criminals
every time
as the bells chime
his people
becoming old tired
disillusioned
in their prime
children begging
on the streets
no school time
on the backs
of a single vote
to vidhan sabha
of success
the candidate
climbs
the poor man
searching
for his life
in the meantime
Break Dance of Democracy
100,036 items / 606,524 views
I bring my elections documentary to its climax with a new set at Flickr titled Break Dance of Democracy ...I left home this morning at 8 am to cast my vote at St Stanislaus School..making sure that I had deposited my camera to the watch man at St Peters Church..I carried my Bandra Samachar Press Card..
I am 55 years old and do not possess a Voters card, I had applied for it but have not received it as yet, though my wife and son Saif Shakir are the only ones who got it in my family..
I carried my pan card and cast my vote .. the time I reached the polling booth the turnout was very poor , just a few dozen people mostly Christians and Bohras two communities that are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Well I think people will come post noon , all shops at Bazar Road are closed , my shop is closed too, I will resume work after 2pm.
I shot party members sitting all over Bandra with the voting list guiding people ...I shot Bazar Road , Bandra Reclamation , JJ Colony, St Aloysius School ..
The residents of Bandra Reclamation near MET were all lined up going towards the polling booth guided by the BJP Shive Sena volunteers..This area is predominantly a Hindu vote bank, with ex government officers.
Outside the Bandra Municipal School there was a lot of commotion between the NGO Agni and the cops regarding their checking voter cards ..Finally all were removed 200 meters away from the venue..including me.
So this a small set that includes the holiday atmosphere ,the irony is that Bandra roads are filthy dirty , I shot pictures and hope who ever comes to power gives a better deal to those who vote him to power..
And dont let him down again this time..leaving him stranded to the wolves , as they have been doing if for years.
Once upon a time every kid wanted to be a film star , live at Pali Hill have imported cars , but today the kid has changed he is happy to become a politician making money 1000 times more than he would make as a film star and with money can make any Salman or any super star dance to his party's tune..and this is fact without denigrating Salmans contribution to society through his erstwhile foundation..
So this is the break dance of Democracy as I see it through viewfinder of my soul..
Go And Make Your Vote Count
go out and make your
vote count
13 october
election day
8 am to 5 pm
fixed determination
no discount
from the horse
of your laziness
time to dismount
with your
vote
take the
government
into account
no one can buy
your vote
whatever amount
the politicians
dread another
recount
vote
democracy's
crucial
fount
an attack
on a sucked
system
to surmount
At the age of 55 years I have yet to get my voters card like a chappati on the tawa burnt dark brown those who issue the voter card gone out of town...to cast their vote in their hometown...democracy weeps face down.. as it waits for the final count down, party .heads in line for Maharashtra's crown
Vote You Must
100,035 items / 606,379 views
if
in liberty
equality
justice
truth you
trust
wake up
to the call of
democracy
however hard
you have to adjust
tomorrow
13 October
vote you must
brush your teeth
shower
say your prayers
god will quench
your thirst
so
be in the line
with your voter card
into the face of politics
your vote thrust
be first
along
with the poor
Bombay Times
Page 3
Upper Crust
the system sucks
it cant get worst
nonplussed
with iron in your soul
turning to rust
ashes to ashes
dust to dust
choose responsibly
the right man
who will fight
for your right
be accurately
focused
if you dont vote
you disgust
to society
humanity
your act
unfair
unjust
Vote Vote Vote (13 Oct 2009)
100,034 items / 606,325 views
vote vote vote
the public
a sacrificial goat
slaughtered
butchered
to keep
democracy afloat ...
crocodiles
swimming
in the moat
following
your dream boat
elect one
who will
lovingly
rip your throat
vote vote vote
read this as a
musical note
to Vishwajeet Pradhan
Sunday, October 11, 2009
100000
100,001 items / 605,220 views
Old man
Muslim retired
sitting on a chair
reading an urdu
newspaper
wondering
about
his vote
his welfare
change in his life
the political honchos
declare
a kurta
a tehmat
that he wears
facing the twilight
he is aware
for a long journey
he must prepare
face to face
with his maker
beyond pain and despair
my 100000 photo blog
in 28 months at Flickr
dedicated to
nauman umair
sheer humility
sans fanfare
The Muslim Man Waits for the Verdict
99,990 items / 604,860 views
none of the Muslim
candidates
standing for their
respective parties
or the lone
independent
has the community
hand picked
cutting into
their future
the Muslim man
each election
for his vote
has been tricked
the ministers
have forgotten
him
used him
like a door mat
truth thus depicts
once in power
from his own house
evict
thrown in a prison
for being a Muslim
branded as a convict
used as a tool
to instigate conflict
bruises on his body
his soul
they afflict
change in his life
promised
but never comes
like a football
from one goal post
to another goal post
he is kicked
by his own
in every mohalla
every district
this time
the Muslim
man
once again
waits for a verdict
forces of evil
dividing the country
with his vote
he hopes to restrict
who will come to power
even god wont predict
Gar Kute Political Savvy Ban Jayenge
99,994 items / 604,938 views
gar kutey
political savvy
ban jayenge
har gali main
nara lagayenge
stray dog population
ke massiah ban jayenge
inko vote do
yeh raste ke kutton ko
pedigree ke
certificate dilayenge
acche acche
khab dikhayenge
hadi accha malik aur makan
bhok bhokke
nara lagayenge
maneka ji ka
adar samman
badayenge
gas chamber
dog slaughter house
ko completely
band karwayenge
kuton ki nagri ko
insan ki nagri se
accha banayenge
jab kutte neta
ban jayenge
foreign trip lagayenge
bade bade mall
building complex
kutton ke liye banayenge
kutte insan ki tarah
kutton ko nahi satayenge
Outside The Mosque She Sits
99,820 items / 604,571 views
outside the
mosque
the house of god
made of mortar
and bricks
she sits
her spirit
is strong
the flesh
of her flesh
is weak
she admits
mouths to feed
she begs
earns a few bits
uneducated
unschooled
married
away early
to her fate
she did submit
under the wheels
of juggernaut
she was badly hit
begging the only
option of this
Muslim misfit
at the mercy
of the rich man
left overs
a few coins
tidbits
imprisoned
she hopes
that from this
earthly situation
her death will acquit
from a spirituality
that promotes
a jihad by bandits
the jihad to change
her life the community
completely omits
eunuch silence
on the sands of karbala
when his throat was slit
the soul of a nation
in two parts it split
two sides of a same coin
to wit...both sides
unwilling
to call it quits
hussain is humanity
a parched drop of a tear
on the ethos of pain
transmits
*the flesh of her flesh refers to her children.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Muslim Kids Searching For Their Future
99,819 items / 604,436 views
Sometimes a picture
speaks louder than words
clipped wings
the aborted flight
of birds
cattle class
traveling the
wagon of life
like sacrificial herds
every time they move up
like crabs in a bottle
by a sick system
pulled downwards
like their script
written off backwards
faith in the maker
moving onwards
a flock appeased
by every political
shepherd
vote for this party
vote for that party
syrupy catchwords
lyricless sad notes
of these little
Muslim songbirds
Muslim
kids searching
for their future
in fruitless
orchards
dedicated to sanjay dutt sanju baba
Kaum Ke Liye Tumne Kiya Kya Hai ...
99,703 items / 604,151 views
baba yeh toh
batao
is dard ki
dawa kya hai
bedard alam
main
tumhare hath se
hua kya hai
bagair aag ke
tuti hui jhopdi se
dhua kiya hai
bagair khuda ke
insaan ki dua kiya hai
That Is Uncle Ashish Shelar She Says...
99,662 items / 603,934 views
that is uncle ashish shelar she says
pointing out to omkars daddys face
with omkar and lucky the labrador
in our building she plays
but it is mrs ashish shelar
her favorite aunty always
giving marziya
sweets toys chocolates
on her birthday
which is everyday
by the way
vote for marziya
hum tumhare sat hain
she chants all day
The Stunted But Powerful Muslim Vote
99,658 items / 603,930 views
the stunted but powerful
Muslim vote
may note grow taller
makes his presence felt
please note
he wants change
a peaceful life
without encounters
without racial profiling
he does not want to be
your quintessential scape goat
he is a Muslim
a vital organ of India
sailing with you
as an Indian
in the same boat
yes together
you and he
can keep it afloat
you in your kurta dhoti
he in his pathani suit
waistcoat
sartorial serendipity
serenity saving grace
as keynote
sare jahan
se accha
hai hindustan
hamara
to quote
The Samajwadi Party Public Meeting Bandra
99,658 items / 603,921 views
After I had shot the BJP Shivsena Rally , the BSP rally I was informed that Sanjay Dutt was to attend the Samajwadi Pary near Jamatkhana so I immediately rushed there shot these pictures but there was no sign of the star , I came home showered and returned to shoot Sanjay Dutt in absolutele political form in a new power punching avtar, he too spotted me in the crowds and asked me what I was doing here shooting pictures , I had done his costumes for Nitin Manmohans Chal Mere Bhai.. , he did not spare Baba Siddiki in his speeches.. and the Samjwadi Party considers the Congress I and the Democratic Front its greatest enemy and ..they bought in a Mullah who left no stone unturned to brand the Congress anti Muslim party and cited all the incidents that had affected the Muslims directly or indirectly when the Congress was in power..Some of the stuff was virulent and in bad taste by individual speakers , but truthful too, evoking the sad memories of the 93 riots the demolishing off the Babri mosque, the Shrikrishna Report, the encounter killings of innocent Muslims but than this is politics..and here votes will be divided via the two main Muslim contenders against the Congress party, by Rizwan Merchant Samajwadi Party candidate and Rahebar Khan Independent candidate.
Yes everything is being to corner the powerful Muslim vote by all parties , this area JJ Colony Nargis Dutt Nagar , Compund , Transit Camp , the various Muslim pockets holds the key to the elusive chair of politics...
Rizwan Merchant a cogent speaker head of the various Dargah trusteeships, also an advocate appealed to the pubic to give another Muslim a chance to lead them instead of Baba Siddiki..and he too cited cogent reasons citing the powerful politician builder lobby that had taken the Muslim slum dweller for a ride.. to make fast bucks , the builder and the politician hand in glove became richer - while the poor slum dweller suffered..as this is a powerful predominant Muslim locality ..they went out to appease their political cause and to highlight Abu Azim as the mass leader of the Muslims..The meeting ended before 10 pm the cut off time set by the Election Commission.
Yes the Muslim Vote certainly matters .. the poor brow beaten Muslim of the slum .. is overnight an important persona in this Human Comedy called Politics..
It was what I heard and saw , but shot impartially as a photographer documenting the angst of the people in the background of the assembly election fever..vote or dont vote the Muslim is caught between the devil and the deep sea.
But vote he must on 13 October 2009 .. the most important and significant right of his , he must cast his vote impartially , elect a responsible person to form a responsible government...he must forget that he is only a Muslim and as an Indian as a Mumbaikar of Amchi Mumbai remove all blinkers that misguide his thought his mind and his vision..
His vote can change all our destinies too..
Jai Maharashtra.
Vote For Ashish Shelar - Hum Tumhare Sat Hain
Vote For Ashish Shelar - Hum Tumhare Sat Hain, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
99,546 items / 603,733 views
Vote for Ashish Shelar hum tumhare sat hain, these were the words that resounded from all sides as Advocate Ashish Shelar BJP/ShiveSena began his rally at Bandra Reclamation..from here it went through the Muslim pockets of JJ Colony and than Nargis Dutt Nagar and finally moved house to house at the Transit Camp..Marziya accompanied me , and kept shouting Vote for Marziya hum tumhare sat hain the last lines she had quickly memorized from the crowds..
I did not follow the rally into the Transit camp..but came back to drop Marziya...
Ashish Shelar is very fond of Marziya ..who is a friend of his son Omkar and plays with Omkar's pet Labrador Lucky
Friday, October 9, 2009
In Retrospection of An Era
99,527 items / 603,276 views
When I was a little child staying at Wodehouse Road during the early 60s , I remember we waited outside our houses on the footpath as late Pandit Jawarhlal Nehru's cavalcade was going to pass towards the military area of Afghan Church.. he waved out to all of us.. and that was the first and last time I saw him...
And than last evening I took this picture next to the Little Young Master who single handedly will change the nations destiny and his own..
If Mr Shatrughan Sinha speaks highly of him , it is deserving praise , of a persons capacity to serve the nation cutting beyond party lines.it speaks highly of both, one a stalwart in films and politics and RG ...the scion of the Nehru family..touching human hearts at grass root level...a true son of the soil of India.
This was shot near the Congress I office near Lucky Hotel Bandra,.
Bachpan Ke Din Bhi Kya Din Thay
99,516 items / 603,258 views
when we were young
our dreams far flung
on the branches
of hope our destiny hung
like tarzan
from one branch
of happiness
to another branch
we swung
songs we sung
as we became older
we fell face down
on life's cow dung
silence
of memories
tied to our tongue
old moments
frozen unsung
to monsoon lover
Punished By A School Bag
99,508 items / 603,252 views
huge rocks
of books it holds
the school bag
bending the
child's back
behold
a child
carrying
a crucifix
of education
losing
foothold
a story
I have
always told
a school
where
they beat
the child
they love
to mold
it was
done to their fathers
their fathers father
teach and scold
remember
a bagless education
under the banyan tree
at the lotus feet of the guru
when the child enrolled
embedded wisdom
old is god
to vinod mirani my dear friend..
13 October Is Your Tryst With Destiny-Please Vote
13 October Is Your Tryst With Destiny-Please Vote, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
99,504 items / 603,246 views
The Rally ended near Rang Sharda, Salman Khan had left and Baba Siddiki moved onwards , he was tired but tried not to show it, and this was a huge rally that had traversed most of the by lanes and boroughs of Bandra .
Baba Siddiki has great support of the masses and all the people I spoke to , were convinced that Baba Siddiki would win hands down..They have great expectations and hope their lives will change with changing times.
Areas like Lal Mitti, Bazar Road ,Patel compound and most of the Muslim pockets are going through trying times , and their support for Baba Siddiki is imminent.. he is their Savior..and so continues my documentary in local politics and the life of the people ,...who wins we dont know .. and this blog is not a exit poll but giving every candidates destiny a chance.. only time will tell and the best man will surely win.. the public is calling the shots .. whatever happens make sure that you are outside the polling booth on 13 October ..your vote matters .
Dont run away from your responsibility again this time.. dont skip your responsibility and your fundamental right to vote..dont make excuses and than curse who comes to power in the State.
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Shah-e-Mardan Sher-e-Yazdan Quwat-e-Parwardigar Lafata Ila Ali La Saif Ila Zulfiqar , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 ....
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