Firoze Shakir Poet - Frozen Time: 01/07/10

Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Blade Matam of Hyderabad at Hussaini Koti

The Blade Matam of Hyderabad at Hussaini Koti, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Imagine shooting all this and than both my camera batteries fail, the one in the camera and the one I had as spare ..I was also confused as the charger I had newly bought at Dadar a few hours before leaving for Hyderabad.

I have a single digital camera Nikon D 80 though I lugged my F100 film camera too, I shot just one roll, film depresses me for the only reason it takes time to finally hit my computer screen, and this is a photo journalist blog..so what I shoot I need to post pronto..

I began posting the Hyderabad Moharam pictures from the very morning I reached Mumbai, I have been continuously posting all this over 3500 pictures from 30 Dec ..

My computer has been working round the clock without break..I have 3 more events to post after this..

The Blade Matam is the specialty of Hyderabadi Shias , they do it with finesse and with smooth strokes of their sweeping hands..the little kids emulate the adults and the very little kids tie the blades on wires..and hit their backs with ferocity.

110,306 items / 713,811 views

This is the congested and very busy road that leads to the Civil Court of Hyderabad..this is where the Choti Bargah of Hazrat Abbas is situated.

This was my base , and from here I planned my day to day itinerary ,,,I was staying at Naqi Bhais house which was about 15 minutes walk from here.

These are pictures I shot before I left for the 8 Moharam Hussaini Koti Juloos , this was the day I arrived in Hyderabad .

After I returned from the Hussaini Koti Juloos I went to the Koti Market.

Later I shot the 8 Moharam events at Choti Bargah..

8 Moharam at Hussaini Koti 2009

8 Moharam at Hussaini Koti 2009, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

110,303 items / 713,807 views

With this I complete the Hussaini Koti 8 Moharam segment at Flickr 482 photo blogs..when this blade matam started ,my camera had konked off..due to a faulty spare battery..I had to abort this shoot..

Zehra Ki Dua Hai Yeh Matam Yeh Matam Kaise Ruk Jaye

Zehra Ki Dua Hai Yeh Matam Yeh Matam Kaise Ruk Jaye, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Alam Abbas at Hussaini Koti Hyderabad 2009

Alam Abbas at Hussaini Koti Hyderabad 2009, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

110,230 items / 713,547 views

This is my last lot of the Hussaini Koti 8 Moharam events , after this I came back to Choti Bargah , I left my room at Charminar Hotel, I had not even stayed in it, I moved to Naqi Bhais house .Than I went to Koti electronics market to have my charger checked , and my sparebattery that had failed .

I bought a new original battery and shot the 8 Moharam events at Choti Bargah and in the wee hours I shot the 8 Moharam events at the main Bargah Hazrat Abbas.

Though I have been requested by the Bargah people not to post pictures of their donning the Alambardar dress , a white sherwani and a belt a jacket that takes about half an hour per person..

The last segment will be the 9 Moharam events Iqbal bhais house majlis and a very late event at the Shia cemetery of Mir Mousavi Deira.

With that I will end my Moharam in Hyderabad 2009 series..

My only regret is that I did not complete the entire shooting at Hussaini Koti..and I will never forget the cherubic faces of the little Nawabs head bowed touching everyone with Adab and Tehzeeb..this was the greatest moment of my photography ..that sent me nostalgically back to my child hood and my Lucknowi parentage..