94,216 items / 570,121 views
This brings to end 845 picture series of Lalbagh Cha Raja Visarjan 2009, it began at Lalbagh on the day of my 12 Ramzan fast and ended at Do Tanki as I exited from Kumbharwada to Null Bazar taking a cab home to Bandra.
The moment I reached home it rained very heavily I saw Ganpatis ready for immersion at Mahim Beach.. but I was in no mood of mind to get out and shoot in the rain.
Ganpati revelers in the night can be a bit a tipsy turvy for a photographers comfort.
That I had shot the Lalbagh Cha Raja and paid my tribute to his quintessential character of Hindu divinity as a harbinger of Peace to this island city of Mumbai was enough for me.
When I reached home I was a terrible mess from head to toe, specially the head where some overzealous , a few mannerless volunteers of Lalbagh Cha Raja had thrown gulal on my lens and camera and on my person in spite of telling them to stop..their answer to me was Chill Man..I told them would they tell the same thing to their father if he was in my place got me more smirks..
I had a tough time shooting this series , I dont have such a tough time during any event not even Moharam where I am a whisker away from swords and flying flagellating blades ..or the 18 feet sharp rods of the Maryamma disciples or when I walk on fire during Ag Ka Matam.
This years Lalbagh Cha Raja was huge sea of crowds, and the crowds kept growing at every next stage of the Rajas destination to the Girgaum Chowpatty..
On the way home some Karyakartas gave me a few more coconuts , that I took happily for my Hindu friends and well wishers , besides te one I took for Mr Shatrughan Sinhas family..
The next morning I dropped the coconuts at their residence , to Vijay Rawal of Mona Lisa Mount Mary, Jagan Chawala my friend at Union Park, and lastly Mr Nitin Thakkars family..
Shooting pictures or photography is science that holistically heals everyone the receiver and the giver..Lalbagh Cha Raja gave me a part of him, I gave it to others freely on the internet ..And In .com who allowed my pictures to be downloaded without my permission from Flickr should realize the lengths I went to shoot this..
I was trampled by the crowd, I injured my neck and leg , I was fasting all day and they show disrespect to me by not even responding to my email..
Network 18 with so much money infrastructure shocks me completely of lack of cyberspace ethics.
www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/3853647359/
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Barefeet Blogger of Mumbai
Walking Between The Lines
94,216 items / 570,121 views
This brings to end 845 picture series of Lalbagh Cha Raja Visarjan 2009, it began at Lalbagh on the day of my 12 Ramzan fast and ended at Do Tanki as I exited from Kumbharwada to Null Bazar taking a cab home to Bandra.
The moment I reached home it rained very heavily I saw Ganpatis ready for immersion at Mahim Beach.. but I was in no mood of mind to get out and shoot in the rain.
Ganpati revelers in the night can be a bit a tipsy turvy for a photographers comfort.
That I had shot the Lalbagh Cha Raja and paid my tribute to his quintessential character of Hindu divinity as a harbinger of Peace to this island city of Mumbai was enough for me.
When I reached home I was a terrible mess from head to toe, specially the head where some overzealous , a few mannerless volunteers of Lalbagh Cha Raja had thrown gulal on my lens and camera and on my person in spite of telling them to stop..their answer to me was Chill Man..I told them would they tell the same thing to their father if he was in my place got me more smirks..
I had a tough time shooting this series , I dont have such a tough time during any event not even Moharam where I am a whisker away from swords and flying flagellating blades ..or the 18 feet sharp rods of the Maryamma disciples or when I walk on fire during Ag Ka Matam.
This years Lalbagh Cha Raja was huge sea of crowds, and the crowds kept growing at every next stage of the Rajas destination to the Girgaum Chowpatty..
On the way home some Karyakartas gave me a few more coconuts , that I took happily for my Hindu friends and well wishers , besides te one I took for Mr Shatrughan Sinhas family..
The next morning I dropped the coconuts at their residence , to Vijay Rawal of Mona Lisa Mount Mary, Jagan Chawala my friend at Union Park, and lastly Mr Nitin Thakkars family..
Shooting pictures or photography is science that holistically heals everyone the receiver and the giver..Lalbagh Cha Raja gave me a part of him, I gave it to others freely on the internet ..And In .com who allowed my pictures to be downloaded without my permission from Flickr should realize the lengths I went to shoot this..
I was trampled by the crowd, I injured my neck and leg , I was fasting all day and they show disrespect to me by not even responding to my email..
Network 18 with so much money infrastructure shocks me completely of lack of cyberspace ethics.
www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/3853647359/
Best Wishes to Editor In .com
Best Wishes to Editor- in .com
a network 18 venture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/3853647359/
The Muslims Felicitate Lalbagh Cha Raja
Every year the Muslims of Do Tanki close to Duncan Street felicitate Lalbagh Cha Raja with flowers , garlands, most important the Muslims of this area help the Hindus of their area, old women men , the little kids get the Darshan , as the crowds is alarmingly large .. and fear of stampede prevails inspite of the Police bandobast and a human chain by the volunteers of Lalbagh Cha Raja to prevent untoward action or incident.
This is Hindu Muslim amity at its best.
The icing on the cake is that the chief guest was a Shiv Sena leader of this area.
This is one junction , that I have not missed since last two years..
The Muslim women too share the stage and both the communities distribute mineral water to the followers of Lalbagh Cha Raja, and to the crowds.
After this halt Lalbagh Cha Raja moves towards a lane called Kumbharwada were stay his most ardent hardcore fans after Lalbagh area and Dadar.
It is from Kumbharwada I aborted my walk, I had to start my next Roza and my diabetic condition my bare feet could not take me further towards the Girgaum Chowpatty beach.. where the Raja after the Arti is immersed into the waters of the Arabian Sea..
I took a cab from Null Bazar home to Bandra covered in vermilion...
MAZHAB NAHI SIKHATA APAS MEIN BAIR RAKHNA, HINDI HAIN HUM VATAN HAIN, YEH GUL SITAH HAMARA, 'SARE-E JAHAAN SE ACHH-AA HINDUSTAN HAMARA' -
Mumbai Police and Lalbagh Cha Raja
Ganesh Aarti -
JAI GANESH JAI GANESH JAI GANESH DEVA
MATA JAKII PARVATII, PITAA MAHAADEVA
EKA DANTA DAYAVANTA, CAAR BHUJA DHAARII
MATHE SINDUURA SOHAI, MUUSE KII SAVARI
JAI GANESH...
ANDHANA KO AANKHA DETA
KORHINA KO KAAYAA
BANJHANA KO PUTRA DETA
NIRDHANA KO MAAYA
JAI GANESH...
PAANA CARHE, PHUULA CARHE
AURA CARHE MEVA
LADDUAN KO BHOGA LAGE
SANT KAREN SEVA
JAI GANESHA...
Lalbagh Cha Raja has a special regard and love for the officers and cadres of Mumbai Police , the Mumbai Police that are part of the Lalbagh Cha Rajas installation at the Pandal till his last and final journey from the streets of Lalbagh to Chinchpokli, Byculla Nagpada Do Tanki Kumbharwada and finally to rest at Girgaum Chowapatty.
I kept telling this kind officer he looked very much like Senior Inspector Baig of JJPolice Station, I shot at the JJ Hospital during Ashura and Chehlum procession during Mohaam.
The Mumbai Police also felicitate Lalbagh Cha Raja near JJ Byculla Bridge.
At Do Tanki one of their heads from the IPS was recording the arrival of the Raja on his video camera..
Law and Order is very strict during the journey of the Lalbaggh Cha Raja , and aiding the Police are the lads of the Lal Bagh Cha Raja brigade .. and the volunteers..who make this great event one of the greatest pilgrimage and landmark of Mumbai..
Lalbagh Cha Raja is verily Mee Mumbaikar No1 of Amchi Mumbai..
Lalbagh Cha Raja is the fabric of secularism, Lalbagh Cha Raja is a lesson in Tolerance and Mutual Coexistence..and the Mumbai Police make this a memorable event with their dedication , devotion.. to the public the citizens of Mumbai..
Half of Mumbai is here at the Lalbagh Cha Raja Visarjan..
"Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa"
"Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa", originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
lord forgive me
i have erred
i made mistakes
my life was blurred
i seek your
blessings
in the next world
om ganesha
in every word
hope held
in a gilded cage
like a helpless bird
seeking godliness
my inner soul
i have scoured
only your mantra
"Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa"
reverberating a voice of peace
i have heard
Breaking My 12 Fast at Byculla
allah huma laka sumto
walarizke ka aftarto
waalaika tawakalto
with these words
i broke my fast
i broke bread
covered with gulal
thrown by the crowds
on my face and head
following the footpriints
of lalbagh cha raja
barefeet i did tread
hindus muslims
all munbaikars
bound to the soul
of mumbai
by a silken thread
a cup of chai
a sweet modak
i was fed
at do tanki
felicitated by the muslims
lalbagh cha raja
from kumbharwada
to the seas
moved ahead
94000 Photo Blogs I Complete
94000 photo blogs
at flickr I complete
a muslim blogger
shooting
lal bagh cha raja
bruised blistered barefeet
in the rains dust and heat
with a passion and devotion
held in the hourglass
of a heartbeat
photographing his
final journey
on the street
breaking the 12 fast
of ramzan at byculla
with a cup of chai
modak sweetmeat
lal bagh cha raja
microblogging the
soul of spirituality
with a tweet
at facebook
hangs a threat
too many flickr links
my facebook account
they will delete
wrap my blogged soul
in a winding sheet
as a tribute to
marc zuckerburg
without receipt
dedicated to marc zuckerburg
Lalbagh Cha Raja Sigma 6
a spirituality
that creates wealth
so poor peoples lives
he can fix
hope and hindutva
a message of peace
to mix
a brand equity
lalbagh cha raja sigma 6
people standing for hours
in long lines
that baffles all skeptics
his devotees beyond caste
color or creed
am admi and mystics
politicians businessmen and psychics
some like salman khan and his sidekicks
a barefeet muslim
blogger from bandra
he hand picks
none does he restrict
he says be eco friendly
live and let live
keep mumbai green
dont use plastic
he needs no advertising campaign
or sales technique
every mobile user
with love
his picture clicks
lalbagh cha raja has special regards
for the demarginalized the spastics
politicians invoke his blessing
to stay in power among consenting public
bollywoods producers do his puja
to see the box office hug their flicks
actresses who once were nondescript
next door neighboring chicks
including rich mafioso
who offer the lord
gold biscuits gold chain and gold bricks
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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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Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ali Mira Datar Unava Gujrat , a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr. HAZRAT SYED ALI MIRA DATAR'S G...
