The Gemstone Dealers of Mahim Road

The Gemstone Dealers of Mahim Road, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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All this was shot during the Urus of Makhdoom Shah Baba , every time I exited the Dhuni of the Chancawalli Rafaees , my legs would carry me here , via the Mahim Dargah food lane.

Its totally dark here and this pavement leads to the Holy Shrine of Baba Fakhr or Fakhruddin Shah Baba.

Most of the gemstone dealers are rafaees too selling cheap stones , glittering glass and other oddments for the naive and the poor man.

Next to the gemstone dealers is the herbal stuff bought from jungles , aphrodisiacs like salajit, and other ingredients before Viagra was born.


Earlier the street guys objected to my taking their pictures , but not anymore..they think I am mad and in a world that is reflection of illusory normalcy madness is the best way to survive. My friend Randall der Joel from Montreal now in Bethlehem will agree with me.

This year I have not shot this lane the way I shot it earlier..work kept me occupied.

But I have a confession to make I never ask for anything from Dargahs - never .
As God knows what I need he gives me even that I would have never realized I needed..

While I was shooting the Dargah Baba Fakhr I did make an humble request my very first one .,, I owed a friend some money and hoped I could give it to him..the very next day I was at Lokhandwala I was given an advance for a work and the next thing I remember rushing to this friends clinic and clearing my debt..

There are others too I hope to giv eback , those that stood by me in my most difficult and hard times..

And people who owe me money , took me for a ride are happy that I dont even call them anymore..