The Kiss of Life

The Kiss of Life, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

103,990 items / 676,120 views

kissing my hand
he blessed me
long life
knowing well in
advance
next Bakra Idd
he wont be alive
his destiny
interlinked
to the butchers knife
his picture
forever
embedded
in my hard drive
sometimes
even after
death
you survive
a poetic pause
in my web archive

dedicated to randall der joel..

Living With The Rafaees Of Mahim

Living With The Rafaees Of Mahim, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Barsati Bawa is always blessing me, he sees nobody hassles me at the Dhuni..as there are heavily doped guys waiting to pick up a fight , and its the easiest way on picking at my camera..I have had tiffs with one or two guys but amicably settled by Tanni..

However Dhuni life and the rafaees is what the Urus ethos is also about, besides the usual rituals fanfare and festivity.

Sitting next to Barsati Baba murshad of Chancawalli Rafaees is Firoze Rafaee.

Sairam at the Mahim Urus

Sairam at the Mahim Urus, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

103,953 items / 676,051 views

Sairam is a Hindu, he is my poster boy at the Maryamma feast of Mahim when he pierces both his cheeks with a 18 feet rod.

He is my inspiration I hope to emulate him when I pierce my cheeks too next year with the 18 feet rod at Mahim beach.

Sairam is at home with his Muslim friends and visits the dargah of Makhdoom Shah Baba during the Urus..

Dargah is one place that cuts across all religious infrastructure , when you visit a dargah you are neither a Hindu or a Muslim , you are the pure base material called humanity.

This year Sairam had burning viral fever , he was in real bad shape, his mother pleaded with him not to pierce his cheeks , but Sairam loves Goddess Maryamma more than his own life, he walked from the Mahim beach to the Fishermen s Colony with the rod in his mouth.,, he collapsed many a time but supported by his Muslim friends he walked the distance and all his bidus encouraging him every step of the way.


This is hope harmony humanity made in India...

Hot Butter Tea

Hot Butter Tea, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

103,910 items / 675,903 views



Handi Sai the earlier Murshad of the Chancawalli Rafaees loved dollops of Amul butter added to the tea made on the Dhuni or Holy Fire..

After his death , it is ordinary tea, but the taste is divine, and lasts and lingers like sweet honey..

The Bawas like hashish and tea, they hardly touch ganja, though there are a few on opium..

Last night I saw a bawa making chillums at the dhuni..

I smoked a lot of reefers during my college days , while we sat at the archival corridors of Elphinstone College..

Later friends introduced me to the giant chillum at Shuklaji street , 15 balls of hash or more in a single round , bombay black or afghani..

But luckily though I saw the opium dens at Foras Road I hardly ever had an urge for it..

I gave up hash 30 years back completely and I have been off booze since 12 years..

I never touched brown sugar but did see a close rich friend Porus of Cuffe Parade go down the drain..

My high is photography my nasha is blogging .. all tailor made to my existence ..

Possession at Dargahs

Possession at Dargahs, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

I am blogging this direstly at Facebook than copy and paste to Flickr.

All my pictures originate at Flickr..my archive of over 100000 pictures in 2 and a half years..

I am fascinated by Possession at Dargahs I have shot extensively this time, carrying the sandal on the head , is one act that puts the person in a trance..

Its for real, and the cases of women hitting their heads against walls , shouting grunting groaning shaking their heads is a very sad and pathetic sight..what hits me hard is the parents of this possessed souls or their children.. accompanying them.

The only place in India that these scenes are common is Hussain Tekri Jaorah and Meena Datar Unjha.


At Meena Datar the possessed climb up huge trees I am told , this is one place I plan to visit...

Last night I shot the Chilla of Ghaus Pak at Dharavi, because I was a guest of the Dargah Committee of Ali Maulah Dargah I had no problem , shot without restriction.

Possession at Dargahs

Possession at Dargahs, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

I am blogging this direstly at Facebook than copy and paste to Flickr.

All my pictures originate at Flickr..my archive of over 100000 pictures in 2 and a half years..

I am fascinated by Possession at Dargahs I have shot extensively this time, carrying the sandal on the head , is one act that puts the person in a trance..

Its for real, and the cases of women hitting their heads against walls , shouting grunting groaning shaking their heads is a very sad and pathetic sight..what hits me hard is the parents of this possessed souls or their children.. accompanying them.

The only place in India that these scenes are common is Hussain Tekri Jaorah and Meena Datar Unjha.


At Meena Datar the possessed climb up huge trees I am told , this is one place I plan to visit...

Last night I shot the Chilla of Ghaus Pak at Dharavi, because I was a guest of the Dargah Committee of Ali Maulah Dargah I had no problem , shot without restriction.

Multiple Hands and Tongue Piercing

Multiple Hands and Tongue Piercing, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

This act is a specialty of Firoze Rafaee he has pierced two people hands and the jutting point enters out from another mans tongue..and its tough shooting this in dark and surging crowds and the kids..

Firoze Rafaee and I go a long way back..

Firoze Rafaee Sakib and Fahad Khalil Pathan are the three guys that pushed me in the direction of Indian Sufism strictly pertaining to the Rafaee order..

And there was no looking back, I am posting pictures of the third day of the Urus perhaps, I dont keep note ..

Lat evening I had gone to Dharavi to shoot last day of the Ali Maulah Dargah Urus..than from Dharavi me and a crazy bawa hitched a ride on a tempo and got off at Mahim..

I shot some pictures here and returned home to help Marziya cut my birthday cake.

Both the Urus are over the next stop the Urus of Fakhruddin Shah Baba at Mahim main road , I once saw Ms Ekta Kapoor placing a chaddar on the Tomb of Fakhruddin Shah Baba but did not shoot her picture respecting her private moment and her oneness in spirituality.

The one person who shot my pictures and helped me around at the Makhdoom Shah Baba Dhuni was Tanvir or Tanni.. the best person I have ever met..

I have a lot of pictures close to 2500 to upload ..The Siddis were not to be seen, I shot the Kashmiri beggars, the Albino family too as disppeared..

I know a lot of money is made during the Urus , local hoodlums charge a premium to hawk you stuff on the Foodie Lane , even to sit as a beggar you got to pay.,

Sometimes I have this crazy thought of covering my face with bandages and sitting for a full day as a beggar and feel the pain of the beggar and also feel the guilt of a man who throws a few coins and slinks away..

But than I will have to search for another Firoze Shakir the barefeet blogger of Mumbai to come and shoot my pictures..

And imagine being hassled by cops and showing my Press Card as a beggar ..yes even media begs at one time or the other..

Poetic Pastime

Poetic Pastime, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

103,770 items / 675,609 views

rubbing it on the palm
a metaphoric balm
wishing the world
sasrikal
salamwalekum
jai shri krishn ram ram
hindu muslim sikh esai
sabko dil se salaam
peace and prosperity
the human soul embalm
there is always a storm
before the calm
humanity
the essence
of hinduism
christianity
buddhism
islam
your mothers womb
the reality
that you come from

love the message of peace
mosques mandirs church synagogue
you dont need to bomb
blessings that god gives
in your beggars bowl
even when you dont ask for alms


poem dedicated to my friend imam
(imam siddiqui)