Yes I Would Rather Shoot Hijras Than Political Chaos, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
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I meet them on Watefield Road and they all know me, but they dont know my connection with the hijra community as they are low in the hierarchy, they work from one day to the next, no Haji Malang no Ajmer Sharif.
But they are hardcore believers followers Lord Balaji and their leader is Lakshmi, this is not the hijra icon .. she is a poor hijra soul and I have known Lakshmi for many years , she gave me her mobile number too I misplaced it.
She is the one who keeps inviting me to her shanty at Sion Daravi, I might one day take her up on that offer.
For Lakshmi I am a religious man a kind of Guru like her so she sees me in a different light different perspective.
When the fire took place at Nargis Dutt Nagar , a few years back I bought a lot of second hand good quality sarees from the flea market near Chor Bazar known as Kapda Bazar on Duncan Street for an old ex maid of ours who had lost everything, I gave a few sarees to Lakshmi too..because its what they wear, her chelas dont want sarees they pester me for beads and pendants necklaces etc.. I have given them in the past when my work space was close to where they beg.
Waterfield Road no water no field just hijras beggar kids fruit selling bhaiyyas at the extension which is known as Turner Road.
I mostly shoot this signal or the hijras at the Andheri Juhu Versova link road signal.
And each hijra begging commune is different from the other , the Versova signal hijras believe in Goddess Yellamma and a few are Devdasis.
The Linking Road signal hijras are followers of Lord Iravan and mostly visit Koovagam the eunuch festival at Koothandavar near Villupuram Chennai.One of them was a very close friend she had married a laborer who was giving her a tough time, domestic violence is more prevalent among hijra live in relationships.
I know friends who have wives kids but a hijra mistress on the side living in rented societies of upend Lokhandwala Andheri.. you wont know they are hijras this one is so beautiful she wears a hijab..last I know she was planning to adopt a child I shot her at Haji Malang too.
Than there are guys rich loaded rich who have hijra mistresses they bond with at Ajmer Sharif , I dont shoot these guys simply because it would end their marriages.
The Muslim pretty hijras are devout , go for namaz dressed as men, and are are back to hijras after the Friday prayers.
The Christian hijras are from the South their main spiritual solace is St Michael Church Mahim Novena on Wednesdays or Mount Mary Bandra ..
Hijras also visit Dargahs Maqdhoom Shah Baba and Fakruddin Shah Baba.. I think they go to Haji Ali but that is not with the ambit of my dargah photography.
So hijra life their fight against male dominance gender bias and homophobic hate is what I try to share through my blogs.
I know hijras who have done a lot of good work, they pay for poor children s fees ,and marriages are funded by them, they take care of entire families..but they dont show or publicly announce it.
These are hijra pictures I shot last week but kept on hold. but I am uploading this morning.
