Saqlain The Shia Braveheart

Saqlain The Shia Braveheart, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

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I have been shooting Saqlain since he began scourging his back as a little toddler I would shoot him in Bandra and at the major Moharam juloos in Mumbai Ashura Chehlum.

And actually he wanted Marziya to shoot his back but she handed the camera to me so I took this shot and the next ones too.

I want to reiterate I dont glorify bloody acts but this is a part of Azadari and has been going on for many years , when I shoot kids getting their head cuts I shoot it as a photographer I dont promote or proselytize any rituals for that matter,its the Shia parents prerogative they get their children marked with the dagger more prolifically in Hyderabad than in any other city I have covered shooting Moharam.

In Madras parents even Hindu parents would line up to get their childs head cut , but I was far too tired and exhausted I would go and perch myself for long hours on Mesaqs van and shoot from the top .Madras is quite tame as compared to Mumbai or Hyderabad .

And whatever edict or fatwa against Kamazni or Zanjir Zani issued from other countries I think the Indian or the Pakistani Shia is hardly ever give up his fundamental right to bleed for Hussain.

I cut my head twice an year during Ashura and Chehlum to show you that I am human too.. I bleed it would hurt me earlier perhaps but now my head is immune to poetic pain or otherwise.

In Madras it was the first time I cut my head with my own camera round my neck otherwise as in Mumbai my friends would shoot my act on my camera... my so called Tandav on the Soul of Shimr.

My grand mother used to tell me in Lucknow she had seen Khana Badosh women in a village doing the zanjir matam too .

Girls are not encouraged to cut their heads but in Hyderabad it is a common sight and I shot girls getting their head cut in Madras.

In Mumbai Kurla my friend Papu Bhais daughter cuts her head herself and that is something between her and her father .. he is compatible to the fact that she likes to cut her head.

Marziya will never cut her head or have her back scourged , but she is not afraid...she has got over fear and as a photographer she shoots the events as coolly as I do.