Maryamma Feast Nehru Nagar Juhu 2011

Maryamma Feast Nehru Nagar Juhu 2011, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

This morning I was invited by Bhima Davendra at Nehru Nagar Juhu where I shot the Maryamma feast, the cooking ritual and the animal sacrifice to appease Goddess Marriammen the unique much loved goddess of the Hindu Tamil diaspora in Mumbai.

I shot thee morning event barefet from 6 am till 10.30 am, I went into a trance the moment the drum began to play, and fell outside the gates of the renovated grand Mandir.

Later at 4 pm I went back to Juhu beach to shoot the second part of the feast, the cheek piercing with 18 feet rods, the chattri or juggernaut which one wears on the body with sharp rods on the body back and front.

The men women and children pierce about 150 needles attach lime ..than guys have hooks pierced on their backs to pull cars vans and bunch of coconuts on a tray..
Guys also hang from cranes.


Because I have been shooting this ritual fr many years people know me and respect me too.
Last year as the Mandir was being renovated the rituals and feat did not take place..
The Tamils of Juhu Nehru Nagar are peace loving people and leave no stone unturned to make Maryamma Mothers celebrations memorable and unforgettable..


Bhima is the guy who keeps me in the loop, and helps and supports me to promote the goodwill message of peace and humanity of Goddess Marriamen.

I shot a lot of hijras too that flock to this temple and participate in the late evening rituals of carrying hot pots on their heads with their supporters..

I was very tired so did not wait for long there were over 300 rod piercings and the crowd was huge , the last part of the event is huge cranes on which people with hooks on their backs hang from mid air.

I have just returned and I will finish the morning animal slaughter event very descriptive gory and graphic.. so use your discretion ..


I shall post the rod piercing events next...this a 23 GB card.. shot in a day..

I shot the evening event barefete and my feet got burnt by hot embers that fly from the hot pots women and men carry on their heads.


Even little children head their cheeks pierced with smaller rods and everyone walks from Juhu beach where the piercing begin till the Mariammen Temple at Nehru Nagar Juhu a short distance but takes hours.

The removal of the rods hooks is very painful and worth shooting .. and dangerous too as one wrong move the rod can enter your body... when it is swiftly pulled out from the devotees cheeks after lubricating his mouth with milk,,,