The Barefeet Blogger of Mumbai And The Silence of His Soul, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
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There are guys that from the foothills reach the top of Haji Malang Shrine in one hour, but for me 58 years old, diabetic asthmatic , it was pretty tough it took me close to three hours to reach the top and I trekked the mountain barefeet.
I dont take my diabetic medicines at all when I undertake such a photographic pilgrimage. I had bare minimum clothes a single camera body two lenses and my SB 800 flash.
At the mountain top the first day I bathed in chilly waters the next day I paid Rs 15 for a small pail of hot water in a community public washroom..cum bath called Hamam.
Haji Malang is a life time experience and Indian Sufism and Sunnism is a very thin demarcation line..I have no issue with any stream of thought I shoot humanity, and the spirit of my nation and Haji Malang is shore of a bank that touches everyone beyond caste color or creed..
Most of all I shoot Hindu Muslim amity..I see ugliness of thought I dont shoot it..my job is to shoot positivity of my cultural identity ..and its secular spirit on the soul of Humanity.
I did a lot of kaif,, both at Haji Malang Shrine and at my favorite hot spot the Holy Shrine of Sultan Shah Baba where the Khadims are Hindus too.
Rohan Patil the Khadim of Sultan Shah Baba was always taking care of my needs and at Haji Malang close to the Dargah where I stayed in Kumart and Abhijits lodge I did not have to pay a single cent , such is the hospitality and love all because I shoot Babas Darbar and his loved ones.
And the Haji Malang Trust instead of appreciating my documentary on the Urus of Baba or simply being grateful , was trying to knock me down with a biased bent of mind of one of their narrow minded trust member.
I come here on my own , I shoot reality the hardships the poor sleeping on the roads just to be showered by Malang Babas bounty, I met people that had walked barefeet from Ulhasnagar , I met so many people , I met people who bought their children and offered their humility to Malang Baba.
I owe nothing to anybody my camera my vision belongs to me it depends how you interpret what I shot..because i shoot Haji Malang Dargh not with my eyes but yours too..
The beggars the malishwalas, the roadside gemstone sellers all wanting boons from Malang Baba.. I asked for nothing, ..I am going through the worst period of my life I was mostly crying when I did the Kaif but I am sure the Lord will provide.
I have till date never entered the sanctum of any Holy Saint here or even Ajmer Sharif as I am a sinner in all respects and am scared to let my shadow fall at the Holy Saints tomb.. so I shoot from the courtyard and outer surroundings,..
My rafaees friends from Chancawalli have splintered and moved away.. the rafaee Chowk of Haji Malang missed Handi and Sikandar Wali Baba.both dead and gone.
There is a Siddi Chowk too but I did not shoot the Dhamal..
I shot the area in and around Sultan Shah Bab this morning..where I do not encounter narrow mindedness and bigotry.. for the hijras Sultan Shah Baba is also a great provider.
Many of my hijra friends like Heena Kamini were not there for this Urus.
And I shot Raveena , Laxmi Narayan Tripathi my hijra guru an actress hijra called Megha my friend Nisha , Naina and Mona the Child eunuch and Nandini the child eunuch.
I shot Babita and an old Hijra Fakir Naik from Amritsar called Madhu..
I shot the enigmatic cross dressers of Mumbai, known as CD's I shot a member sect of Ardh Nari Nareshwars ..called Sada Suhagin , they wear ladys clothes but are Muslims in identity they are married to God they say, and are also known as Musa Suhagins.
The person I met is a Suhagin has 9 children.
