One Man Show Stopper Pratap Sarnaik

One Man Show Stopper Pratap Sarnaik, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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I am uploading the last and final lot of 153 pictures at my Flickr photo stream now which will complete this set that I had shot at the invitation of my friend Purvesh Sarnaik..

And though I was fasting for Ramzan the Vartak Nagar Dahi Handi brain child of the Sarnaiks paying homage to the ancestors of the Shiv Sena party boss Shri Balasaheb Thackeray was a very pomp affair in sincerity cut outs of Shri Balasahebs father his contribution to the ethos of Maharashtra.
The contribution of Meena Tai late wife of Shri Balasaheb mother of Shri Udhav Thackeray was a walk down memory lane for the grassroots cadres of the Shiv Sena.

The most important and most beautiful piece of sculptor here right at the entrance was Chattrapati Shiivaji Maharaj on his Throne .. this was the hope humanity factor that touched everyone one.
Top Bollywood stars Marathi film Industry stars politicians gathered here to celebrates the Dahi Hand fest , and it was a well coordinated managed event brain child of Purvesh and Vihang sons of Pratap Sarnaik.

Their mother too was a pillar of support and her contribution cannot be ignored.

Here I must mention that friends of Purvesh , Govinda , Papu Bhai Sangram Musale Ramji Gulati rocking DJ many whom I dont know by name took care of me knowing I was fasting they served me Iftari at the right time batatwada fruits and cold drinks.

This is the spirit of a true Miumbaikar ..all for one one for all.

This venue has a me mores linked to my poet bloggers soul as I shot the world breaking Dahi Handi here in 2008 when the Talwadai boys from Tardeo took home the trophy pictures shot by me.

So Mr Bal Nandgaonkar Mr Jadhav and others knew me from those days as they were connected to the Talwadi dahi handi winning team.

But the most important for me at this years dahi handi was coming face to face with the scion of the Thackeray family the soul of humility in spite of his awesome family credentials Aditya Thackeray.

Purvesh introduced me to him and I just mentioned in a hushed tone that his father Shri Udhavji and I shared the same Photo Guru Late Mr BW Jatkar and that sealed my fate with this young budding statesman , I could not taint him as a politician , he is million light years from what we call politics or politicians today.

He carries the same vision as a youth in search of peace like the Nehru scion Mr Rahul Gandhi.
Two different ideologies one common goal of a United Progressive India.

I took his pictures and moved away, later I read his poems understood his zeal his angst being a poet myself I could see his reach to touch one and all..

I would love to copy and paste his new poem Brace Yourself but not without his permission , he inspired the following words

When the time comes for youth to lead
from the slavery of sycophancy we
will finally be freed hopefully
no corruption no greed
...just good thoughts good deeds
like you my heart too bleeds


So being a 58 year old man street photographer , blogger and street poet of pain I found Pratap Sarnaik a very humble man , he introduced me on the stage to the crowds and hugged me like his own brother when I took leave of this function.

So this Vartak Nagar Dahi Handi set at Flickr changed a part of me evolving my raw emotions towards a better life of peace that we all want what is a mandir or a masjid in which a human heart cannot be accommodated.

So I am happy I am as much a Hindu as the next man and as much a Muslim as the other man because we share the heritage of a single parent I envision as Mother India.

And my thread on Flickr that houses all my Hindu events feasts I have shot as passionately as my own Shia Faith is known as Hope and Hindutva A Message of Hope and Humanity.

I am also the author of a Hindu blog at Blogspot known as Firoze Shakir Kumbh Mela..