I sent a message to Flickr moderators Flickr moral Police ,a simple letter envisaging my pain as a poet as blogger and as a human being.
As a photographer I moderate my pictures according to Flickr guidelines terms and regulation , my account is marked safe.. I dont shoot or showcase porn I shoot hijra tits only to show you that hijras too can grow fruits on a barren tree .. I have had hijra stripping in front of me to shoot them raw I simply politely refused their request.. shooting nudes human body form creatively as study of Fine Art cannot be a crime if is done aesthetically but I have never ventured that far.
My late Guru shot nudes but I did not participate he shot some of the best nudes , I kept away from this genre of photography.
I shoot Naga Sadhus during the Kumbh, I shot my Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj but my pictures of the ling kriya and the entire Naga Sadhu set is moderated by Flickr Moral Police for showing frontal nudity , and it shocks me , Naga Sadhus dont titillate , it is culture and their way of chosen life.
I have lived with the Naga Sadhus perhaps the only Muslim who begged with them at the Kumbh ate left overs to be a part of them , and thus paved my way of gaining their trust to shoot pictures .. the ling kriya and the night before the Shahi Snan.
As a circumcised Muslim I could not be like them though I had the trust of my Guru who considers me his own , I am his disciple and I promote Hinduism as the inheritance of my Birth , it does not dent my belief as a Shia Muslim.. I give respect I get respect.. from all of you too.
So this unnecessary censorship really aggravates me , this picture cannot be viewed by public Why? What is wrong I dont know..is it the title ..Behind every great man....lies the Androgynous Soul of Another Man I dont think so...The cross dresser behind me is a Muslim he wanted to be treated as a Woman he made his choice he performs on stage he made money for his family bought a house a shop but he does not want to be a Hijra .. and I documented his angst, he along with Ritu Hijra came home dressed as men to meet my wife daughter , and were surprised that they were shown the same respect as we show to our guests.. Hospitality is the fundamental birthright of the Indian.
I have promoted my Flickr blogs I refuse to call them pictures all over cyberspace , be it Facebook an account I have deleted , or Google+ that is my new samovar on the net .
I have 20000+visitors to my Flickr photostream every day I say this in humility and I blog everyday, I link my Flickr blogs at Indiblogger forum to on Indi Vine..
I am a member at Flickr since June 2007..
I taught my 3 year old grand daughter photography so that she too will be a blogger one day showcase Gods world , the world beyond sunsets , mountains insects the world infested by human beings who are treated worse than insects ..
So I have requested Flickr moderators to review my moderated pictures in a new light and not to be regressive like people living in a monolithic age ..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/2735014091/in/photostream/
