The Shia Muslims of Chennai

The Shia Muslims of Chennai, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

They are an extended part of the Dakinni ethos subtle but inherent in similarity to neigboring Hyderabad .
The Shia Muslims of Chennai are simple and without any trace of envy, I met the richest Shia and the very poor one all seamlessly bound to their heritage of Hussain and Hussainiyat.

The hospitality of the Chennai Shia is part of his humility he makes you at home and is there much before you call him for assistance or help.

I came to Chennai through a contact Ashfaque bhai in Dubai, he put me on to Mesaq who runs the local Moulah Ali Channel in Chennai Royapettah.

Mesaq was the one who helped me get a room at a lodge , I stayed a single night of 13 Dec shot a short procession.. and than shot the 7 Moharam juloos the following day , 7 Moharam is real big in Chennai and memorable zanjir zani on the streets and back to a municipal school where Tabbaruk or Niyaz is served to the Momeneen.

I met Maulana Ahmed Ali Abidi from Najfi house Mumbai he was reciting the Ashura Majlis in Chennai at the Shiat Ashurkhana I met my dear friend and well wisher poet Bilal Kazmi from Lucknow .

8 and 9 Moharam are not event based in Chennai like Mumbai or Hyderabad , I met Dr Abbas Ali Meer son of eminent teacher late Ali Master who bought me to his house to stay, his father had passed away on Eid E Ghadeer , his mother also a teacher was the finest host.

It was Dr Abbas who took me to Dharmapuri where he works with the poor and than to Jigedevi Krishnagiri district 250 km away from Chennai where I shot the Ag ka Matam, the ladies walk on fire too I could not shoot this.

On my return from Krishnagiri I shot the Hindu temples of Mylapore and the temple of Maryamma a goddess that has a large following in Mumbai and their rituals I have shot non stop for three years at Juhu Worli Mahim Sion Koliwada.

I Shot a Sufi monks tomb and a few Christian places , and a lot of street shots of Dharmapuri and Chennai.

On 10 Moharam I shot the Ashura juloos and left Chennai on 11 Moharam..

This is a documentary of images seen through my lens , and not just the Shia ethos culture I shot other religiosity , paying tribute to the heart beat of Tamilnadu.. the city of temples at every street corner Chennai.

I also decided I will learn Tamil a language that magically played poetry on my soul.. thanks to Dr Abbas Ali Meer.