Friday, February 19, 2010

Chalak Ali -Dhamal of the Chancawalli Rafaees

I belong to the Order of the Chancawalli Rafaees as a photographer I have been documenting their lifestyle since many years.


Their earlier Peer died ast year nd this year Barsati Bawa led them into the ring in front of the Holy Shrine of Haji Malang..

Chalak Ali is a Rafaee par excellence and does his stuff with ease and effortlessly. he can bring both his eyeballs out of his socket.

His seven year old Sharukh Rafee too is an exponent of this Art.

I have to rush to work but you can see all this at Flickr..I have till now posted 1000 pictures of my Haji Malang Urus 2010 .

I have not put the Hijra pictures in this set , but in a different set and I have over 2000 more to upload and post a rough guess I am bad at maths..

This is Chalak Ali doing hard core eye ball piercing..

Yes Blogging is addictive almost like the Chilum the bawas smoke for spiritual release...but instead of me its my subjects that get high...sometimes the viewer too...

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Photography the Mother of All Mysticism

One of the most respected , human being at Haji Malang is Siddik Bawa from Mahim , his word is law as per the existing hierarchy of spiritual thought.

He keeps to himself , he knows human character and the Malangs respect him too.. He sits close to the Malang Chowk.

I am trying to meet him desperately I am in a very confused state of mind, an incident took place and I want to know its effect on my destiny .. I dont normally let down my guard but I was taken by surprise by emotions not under my control,..

I also dont do Kaif during Moharam, but at Sultan Shah Babas dargah , on hearing the qawwal reciting about the tragedy of Karbala , I found myself shedding copious tears as though I was listening to a majlis ,and the moment the Qawwal seeing my pain , switched to Bhar De Jholi Meri Ya Mohhamed ..I dont know what came over me I placed my camera and my satchel on the floor and was whirling like I have never done before I felt I had wings and I was consumed like a candle dying an early inevitable death..this was a Kaif totally based on pain , I was burning and the surroundings wee burning along with me ..I fell head long on the Qawwals harmonium and last remembered the few drops of water on my parched tongue..

And More ..

And all this makes me wonder I was like a puppet on a string, dancing to another mans tune..dance is a metaphor of release from my human soul..

Yes Haji Malang is a life time emotion of awe and surprise..

I am not a Sufi adherent ,and I am a lover of Ahle Bayt, I am a photographer and when I shoot I become human , I belong to no religiosity save the one I am shooting..
So if you call me by any other Faith does it really matter ..I know my pictures holistically touch those who are touched as I am...with my eyes closed behind the camera...


Yes photography is not just a subject of Fine Arts it is the Mother of all Mysticism..I once fell into six feet of water with my camera and my 80- 200 Nikon 2.8 ED lens in the Godavari at the Nasik Kumbh where they deposit the ashes of dead souls , I came up but knew my camera it was Nikon F90 X was surely damaged.

I was in tears I had two camera bodies..I reached Mumbai placed my camera and my lens after drying in the light box..

My camera was working perfectly the next morning , my pictures on the film roll were intact , my lens well I still use it attached to my Nikon D80 digital body.

So God too eventually likes photographers more than those that preach the religiosity of hate in the garb of Holy Men..and divide us and brain wash our children against all that we stand for , including the country that we are born in ..

No , photographers cant be Terrorists I am sure of that ..photography too is a religion of Love and Peace.

I dedicate this this blog to my late Guru Prof B W Jatkar also known as Black and White Jatkar. I dont think I would have reached this far without his love kindness and encouragement..No disciple is complete without a Guru..

May his Soul rest in Peace.

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You Telecom The Consumer Unfriendly Internet Provider

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Since morning my Internet connection comes and goes and the guys who run this drama company from Surat dont care a dime , this must be the only Internet Provider that does not respond positively to a existing subscribers problem.

Innumerable messages to You Telecom Customer Care but my uploading problem and connectivity problem remains unresolved , and they take money for a service they dont provider with satisfaction.

I have no issue with You Telecom , I complain , I grumble but have been a loyal subscriber of this company for over 6 years or more.

And they make me suffer the most for reasons I fail to understand.

Since morning my Flickr uploader has crashed several times because the connectivity is itinerant and irrational..

And if there is a power problem they dont even infom us of the same by an SMS to our mobile phone..

I am disgusted and a very unhappy You Telecom customer

And I have no other option but to blog my woes so their General Manager can read this one more time..but I doubt it would make any difference to him, he must be using Hathaway or Reliance for all you know..

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The Siddhi Dhol

He is the head of the Siddi Chowk at Haji Malang , I had long talks with him about his people the Siddis Indians of African origin settled in Gujrat , at Gir and Junagah and other places ..
I would either sit with him or the Malangs and in between shoot the Hijras..
I spent far little time with the Rafaees of Chancawalli...perhaps Handi Sais death had hit me hard..

I have tremendous respect for the Siddis I shall not elaborate more as the Siddis is a set on my Flickr photostream.

This is one race badly let down by society and the Government of India, simply because their heritage is being lost, they are made to beg on the streets like clowns and acrobats..
They must be rehabilitated with dignity,and I write this as a fellow Indian too.. they have remained Siddis but are integral part of our country history and heritage.

India was in old times a great sea faring nation and these African people were bought here as slaves , they rose to have their own kingdoms and fiefdoms.

The Murud Janjira fort is a reminder of the indomitable spirit of the Siddis.

I dont know much about their ancestry you can Google Search it too..

I will work more on this race in the near future ..thanks to my few Bollywood Siddi friends..

Their spiritual Saint is Baba Gor...

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The Whipping Dhamal Haji Malang

He is a Whipper Malang , and he whips himself at most of the Shrines his form of earning monet to buy a ticket for the onward journey to the next Holy Shrine.

I first met him several years back on Mahim sea face at the Holy Shrine of Baba Khizar a Sufi tomb that is on the beach , but gets immersed during high tide.. the sea water had turned miraculously sweet some time back..

So I know this Whipper Baba very well at the Dhamal men held their hands to be whipped by him.. I am not cross blogging this whipping lot, the stroke of the whip was faster than the shutter on my camera..

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Voiceless In Mumbai..

I was thinking , I was reflecting moments in my mind to a tune of a old song playing far away ,the lyrics kept bouncing on my soul, I needed a visual to pay tribute to a though caught in the maze of my mindlessness..somethings are not easily understood even by people who pretend to be what they are not...

Akelee Mat Jaeeyo, Raadhe Jamunaa Ke Teer

Too Gangaa Kee Mauj Main Jamunaa Kaa Dhaaraa
Ho Rahegaa Milan Ye Humaaraa Tumhaaraa

Agar Too Hain Saagar To Mazadhaar Main Hoo
Tere Dil Kee Kashtee Kaa Patawaar Main Hoo
Chalegee Akele Naa Tum Se Ye Naiyyaa

Milegee Naa Manjil Tumhe Been Khiwayyaa
Chale Aao Jee, Chale Aao Jee
Chale Aao Maujon Kaa Lekar Sahaaraa

Bhalaa Kaise Tootenge Bandhan Ye Dil Ke
Bichhadatee Naheen Mauj Se Mauj Mil Ke
Chhoopoge Bhanwar Mein To Chhoopane Naa Denge
Doobo Denge Naiyyaa, Tumhe Dhoondh Lenge

Banaayenge Hum Banaayenge Hum
Banaayenge Toofaan Ko Yek Din Kinaaraa

baiju bawra

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The Burning Hands Ritual and The Burning Chain

Chains are kept in the fire for a very long time, and they were kept burning hot while the rituals of body piercing continued at the Holy Shrine called Dhamal.

Oil was poured in this vessel, the burning iron chains were hung on a stand , the rafaee dipped his hands in this oil and touched the chains almost caressing it , the flames came to life..

This event was done outside the Shrine in the courtyard.. I thought when you see the pictures this introduction was necessary..

I have shot this event at Dongri performed by Firoze Rafaee at the Qadri Dargah.

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Cutting the Tongue at Haji Malang

He was the finest exponent of the art of Rafaees or body piercing, he reminded me of late Handi Sai of the Chand Shah Wali Dargah ,who would cut his tongue in two parts and fork it so to speak..but than Handi Sai died at Kota he was heavily into drugs opium was his poison , but he was a very good man ,he protected me , so that nobody hassled me.

Because of my attire , because I am bare feet a lot of women gave me alms during their sandal procession , this I would hand over to Handi Sai,,this was not part of my earnings but it showed the mindset and the naivete of the innocent dargah induced mind.

I have documented the Rafaees for several yeas mostly at Mahim , Makhdoom Shah Babas Dargah and there are elements that dont take kindly to my photography..

Shooting the Dhamal is a high of a life time , and this is the genre of my photography, mysticism , exorcism and possession..mind over matter or matter over mind whatever you call it.

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The Dhamal at Haji Malang Shrine

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After the fire walk it was the turn of this Rafaee and his troupe to take the applause, there is no clapping, this is not fo entertainment but Sufi stuff related to the Rafaee order ..the Rafaees are mendicants fakirs and most of them are followers of Ghaus Pak,.as I a not cross blogging this stuff , you have to see this long series at my Flickr photo stream..

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Lefty


Lefty, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Marziya
has a strange power
over my camera and the lens
she is wordless
yet a complete sentence
her dart of wisdom
breaks through
my mind
my sixth sense
lefty yet so right
beyond
a metaphoric
suspense
a few trailing
failing sailing
moments of my life
I lead at her expense

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A Poets Pain

yeh bat sach hai
main tujhe
chahta hoon
apni khamoshi se
hale dil sunata hoon
tere seene main
rehne ki khaish hai
yeh kehte keehte
reh jata hoon
waqt ke samadar
main
chup chap
beh jata hoon


optional title
the axe effect

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After The Fire

The fire walk ends and its a traumatic experience for the young Malang he is being taken care of by the senior Malang.

And it was here while the Siddi dhols were playing a woman possessed became uncontrollable screaming shouting, this possession is called Hazri, the senior Malang threw water on her holding her by her dreads bought her back to her senses.

The Dargah experience of this nature is not for the weak hearted..and one Dargah that held my soul in a tight grip was the one at the British Residency in Lucknow.

Actually when I was in my teens I visited Bahuddin Shah Babas Dargah at Marine Lines with my Pathan friend Fazal Khan.

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Walking the Fire of Faith

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The three orange turbanned Malangs have covered their dreads about 18 feet or more in length , they dont show their hair in public at all, they only open their hair at the time of Urus at the Dargah of their own order.

These are South Indian Sufii Malangs from Gulbarga Karnataka..

The senior malang and the taller one have been people that have fascinated me completely , but the taller one in the front has metaphorically pushed me in an unknown zone of mystical emotions..zapped my soul and my being strangely I am no more young to be pushed into an arena where fool enter and angels fear to tread.

I am caught in a whirlpool of commotion , and the person in question knows this too..I am a simple man , I move with the flow of my impulses,I cannot be dominated pushed or be controlled I am as wild as the oats I have sown.

I am a beggar , only those who give me alms see the beggar bowl of my life..I dont beg but I get alms , and this has happened to me with the Rafaees or the Malangs and the Naga Sadhus.

My Naga Sadhu Guru a very educated person well read , very informative about Islam took me from home to home and I shared the food that was given to them , and realized the mystifying state of oneness with God through the humility of his existence.

I met the Aghoris flesh eating Sadhus at the Kumbh and also on the banks of the Gomti in Lucknow but first time refused to eat or drink what they offered me I was not allowed to shoot their pictures but the print is embedded on my soul.

I dont know if I will be able to go to the Hardwar Kumbh..its miles away and my Guru waits for me to connect.

I am trying to get the tall Malangs number to find out why he has made me a pawn on a board of spiritual chess..and Malangs are superior beings in the hierarchy of Indian Sufism.

In the picture the Malangs are walking on the incense sticks thrown at their feet....and I shoot all this , I dont pre judge I respect every mans faith or ritual,and 118571 photo blogs at Flickr are a testimony of my soul mortgaged to the reality of my cultural inheritance.

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Walking on Fire ..Malangs

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These are Malangs of Malang Chowk walking on fire, the fire incidentally is incense sticks in bunches , they are lit up together and than thrown at the feet of the marching malangs ..the Malangs walk over it, chanting Beda Par..Beda Par..may evil be trounced.

Most of the Malangs succumb, as their feet are badly burnt and fall to the floor some go into a Sufi trance..I had never shot this segment before...it was here I had a vision blurring my camera lens call it what you may but it even stalks me now that I am in Mumbai among my own.

This was a very unusual experience and it burnt the memory card of my inquisitive and restless mind....


And only those from the Malang Chowk can participate in this spiritual event..

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