Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Hallauris And Athvi Juloos Govandi
I shot this thanks to a friend Kasim Hallauri of Gonsalves Wadi Bandra.
Athvi is the end of 2 month eight days of Shia Moharam mourning the next day the Shias celebrate 9 Rabilawal or Eid E Zehra mother of all Eids that is commemorated cursing the oppressors and the enemies of Ahle Bayt.
I have shot this important memorable segment in Lucknow and Mehmoodabad too.
However of late for several years I have been shooting this Athvi segment at Malvani Malad hosted by Advocate Anwar Hussain a devout Shia momin.
The Hallauris are Syeds from North India Uttar Pradesh, artistic by temperament , good at carpentry and great poets reciters of marsiyas, the Hallauri hand matam on the streets of Moharam during Ashura and Chehlum is is passionate in its cry for Ya Hussain.
Mohsin Hallauri is a very passionate devout Kama and sword matamdar of Bandra.
The Hallauris are very fair colored eyes and a very handsome race of Shia Muslims owing their genealogy to the Holy Family..
Eid e Mubhaila
from wikipedia Eid al-Mubahila
Eid al-Mubahila is annual commemoration of the event of Mubahila occurred on 24th of Dhul-Hijja 9 Hijri corresponding to Wednesday, 6 April 631 CE.,[1][2] On this day when Muhammad and the Christians of Najran gathered to debate - and imprecate - each other.
The term mubahila in Arabic means "debate" but it has the additional meaning of "imprecate" (i.e., curse) as well. This dual association hails from the dynamics of debate in the nomadic cultures which became Islam. To the tribals of the desert who became Islam's first converts, a debate was not so much matching two arguments against each other to establish one proposition as having more merit than the other as it was threatening and cursing until the other person backed down.[2] Eid al-Mubahila in 2010 is celebrated on November 30 and is a sound primer for the faithful in Islamic techniques of argument.
The event was the result of a delegation led by Abdul Masihm and 60 Christian followers addressing Muhammad regarding the nature of Jesus. Then, according to Qur'an Muhammad invited them to imprecation:
"If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: "Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie! 3:61"
Though the verse calls for (in 'Arabic) at least 3 "sons", at least 3 "women", and at 3 least "selves" from each side in the Mubahila, only Imam Hasan ibn 'Ali and Imam Husain ibn 'Ali represented the "sons" of the Prophet, only Fatima al-Zahra represented the "women", and only 'Ali ibn Abi Talib represented as the "self" or "soul" of the Prophet.
Towards the close of the ninth year of Hijra, embassies from all parts of Arabia came uninterruptedly to Muhammad at Medina, to profess Islam and to declare the adherence of their tribes to Muhammad. (Mention is made in the Qur'an as below about this in Sura An-Nasr (Succor, Divine support))
"When there comes the help of Allah and the victory, And you see men entering the religion of Allah in companies, Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness; surely He is oft-returning (to mercy)." Quran 110:1-3
Until now, the Christians of Najran (a city in the province of Yemen) had kept themselves aloof. Muhammad sent a letter, inviting them to embrace Islam. In response to that letter the Christians counseled among themselves the course of their action and did ultimately send a representative deputation of fourteen members to Medina to study the facts pertaining to Muhammad and his mission. Three Christian scholars, viz. Abdul Maseeh Aaquib, Saiyed and Abdul Haris, headed the deputation.
When these deputies reached Medina, they changed their clothes, which they had worn on the journey, dressed themselves in silken garments, put rings of gold on their fingers, and went to the mosque to greet the Prophet. All of them greeted the Prophet traditionally, but the Apostle of God did not respond and turned his face away from them. They left the mosque and approached Osman and Abdul Rahman Ibn Auf, complaining "your Apostle wrote to us and invited us, but when we went to see him and wished him, he neither reciprocated our wishes nor replied to us. Now what do you advise us to do? Should we go back or wait for another opportunity?" Osman and Abdul Rehman could not comprehend the situation. At last they took the deputies to Ali, who advised them to remove the clothes of silk and the rings of gold that they were wearing and to put on their priestly robes. Muhammad would then willingly see them. Thereupon the Christian delegates changed into humble garments and presented themselves to the Apostle who then responded to their salutations and said, "By the Lord who has appointed me His Messenger, when they first came to me they were accompanied by Satan".
Thereafter the Apostle preached to them and requested them to accept Islam. They asked, "What is your opinion about Jesus Christ?" The Apostle said, "You may rest today in this city and after being refreshed you will receive the replies to all your questions from me." The Apostle was awaiting a revelation in this matter, and the next day the verses of the Qur'an Sura No.3 (Al-e-Imraan) verses 59-60 were revealed to him to show the true position of Jesus Christ.
"Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him ‘Be’, and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of the disputers." [/b] Quran 3:59-60
When they reappeared before Muhammad he recited the above verses before the visiting Christians explaining that Christ was a Prophet like Adam and like Adam, created from dust and therefore could not be the son of God. After this, Muhammad invited them to embrace Islam. The Christians refused. Thereupon the following verse No. 61 from Sura No.3 was revealed:-
But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars. 3:61
Now Muhammad reproduced the Quranic verse before the deputation of the Christians and declared the challenge of ‘Mubahila’. The term ‘Mubahila’ is derived from its Arabic root ‘Bahlah’ meaning ‘curse’. Thus the word ‘Mubahala’ literally means cursing each other. The Christians consulted each other and ultimately announced their acceptance of the challenge.
Early next morning Muhammad sent Salman al Farsi ( May Allah be well pleased with him ) to the open place, fixed outside the city for the historic event, to erect a small shelter for himself and those he intended to take along with him for the contest. However, early next morning, the 24th of the month of Dhilhijjah, Muhammad sent Salman to the selected site, outside the city area, to set up a shelter for those whom he would take with him, as his sons, women and selves.
A large number of companions assembled in the masjid, making themselves available for the selection. On the opposite side of the field, selected for the contest, the Christians, with their selected men, women and children appeared on the scene.
At the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in wait, saw Muhammad coming in, Imam Husayn in his arms, Imam Hasan holding his index finger, walking beside him, Bibi Fatimah Zahra, close to his heels and Imam Ali just behind her-as his sons, women, and selves. Muhammad then directed them to utter "Ameen" when he prayed to God.
No sooner had the sacred caravan of Muhammad appeared to the sight of the opposing group of the Christians of Najran then they were awestruck and spellbound. Abdul Haris lbne Alqama, the greatest scholar among them, addressed his people:
"Verily I see a divine light on the face of our combatants, I am beholding such faces among them as can make the mountains move from their spots if they pray to God. So beware! Never try to contest with them, otherwise you will perish and the entire nation of Christians will succumb to extinction!"
Thereupon Muhammad reiterated, "By God! Had the Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been transformed into monkeys and swine. Fire would have rained over them from the sky and they would have been doomed."
When the Christians refrained from ‘Mubahala’, Muhammad put before them two alternatives: either to embrace Islam or to be prepared to come to terms. But the Christians would not agree till the matter was finally decided by an offer of treaty from their side. Thus a peace treaty was signed on the terms that the Christians of Najran would thereby be committed to pay Muhammad an annual tribute consisting of two thousand costumes-worth: forty thousand Dinars, thirty horses, thirty camels, thirty armors and thirty spears. (Meraj-un-Nabuwat)
Imam Fakhruddin Razi writes in his Tafseer-e-Kabeer (volume 2): "When this verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet, the Christians of Najran accepted the challenge of ‘Mubahala’ and the Holy Prophet took along with him Imam Hussain, Imam Hasan, Janab-e-Fatima and Hazrat Ali to the field of Mubahala’."
To quote Allama Zamakhshari in his ‘Tafseer-e-Kashshaf". "There can be no more authentic and stronger evidence for the integrity of Ashab-e-Kisa, i.e., Hazrat Ali, Janab-e-Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain than this Qur’anic verse. For in compliance with the order of God the Holy Prophet summoned his Ahl-ul-Bait, took Hussain in his arms, grasped Imam Hasan’s hand in his own, asked Janab-e-Fatima to follow him and Hazrat Ali to follow her. This proved that the Holy Ahl-ul-Bait were those to whom the Qur’anic verse was directed."
It is related by Soad Ibne Waqas that: "When this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet sent for Hazrat Ali, Janab-e-Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain and prayed to God thus: "O My God! These are the very Ahl-ul-Bait of mine!" (Sahih Muslim. Vol. 1, Sahih Tirmizi.)
According to some versions it is stated that on the morning of 24th Zilhajj, a large number of people thronged the door of Muhammad every one anticipating his chance to be selected for the team of ‘Mubahala’. But when Muhammad emerged out of his house accompanied by his ‘Ahl-ul-Bait’. They were all stunned.
When the event of the mubahila took place, the prophet was accompanied by a great number of Sahaba. The Sahaba's wanted to go out in a show of numbers and force so that the Christians would be intimidated when they see how many followers the prophet of islam has got with him.
However when they got to a certain point, Muhammad thanked them all for their support but told them not to step any further, and that ONLY the following people would accompany him:
Imam Hassan, and Imam Hussain who were only young children at the time, Imam Hussain in his arms, and Imam Hassan holding his index finger; Lady Fatima walking behind him, and Hazrat Ali walking behind her.
The sahaba were in a state of shock. They wanted to know why yet again these members of his family had been singled out.
The prophet explained to them, that from here, they were going to go forward and to invoke ALLAH that WHOSOEVER amongst them is a LIAR then May Allah's curse and wrath be upon him. ANY LIAR would come under that curse.
If ANYONE of them had NEVER told ANY kind of a lie EVER, then they were welcome to step forward, because the curse was going to be on the liar.
What happened? Nobody had the guts to step forward, which is why the prophet took ONLY those who Allah has guaranteed their purification with the ayah of tatheer in Surah 33 Verse 33.
This was a challenge of Truth over Falsehood. Hence only those individuals could accompany the prophet who were singled out under the blanket of the prophet as being those to whom the verse of purification (quran 33:33) applies.
"Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain, God would have commanded me to take them along with me to ‘Mubahala’. But as they were superior in dignity and respect to all human beings, God confined His Choice on them only for participation in ‘Mubahala’". (Tasfeer-e-Baizavi)
Many Muslim scholars, commentators and traditionists whom the ummah acclaim with one voice, have given the details of this event with following conclusions:
The seriousness of the occasion demanded absolute purity, physical as well as spiritual, to take part in the fateful event.
Only the best of Allah's creations (the Ahl ul Bayt) were selected by Muhammad under Allah's guidance.
It, beyond all doubts, established the purity, the truthfulness and the sublime holiness of the Ahl ul Bayt.
It also unquestionably confirmed as to who were the members of the family of Muhammad.
(References:- Mahmud bin Umar Zamakhshari in al Khashshaf; Fakhr al Din al Razi in Tafsir Kabir; Jalal al Din al Suyuti in Tafsir Durr al Manthur; Tafsir Baydawi; Tafsir Nafsi; Tafsir Ibna Kathir; Sahih al Muslim and Sahih al Tirmidhi.)
A very large number of Muslims (and also nonmuslims) witnessed the contest and came to know that Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn were the "Ahlul Bayt" addressed in verse 33 of al Ahzab, known as ayah al tat-hir or the verse of purification.
In this verse, the divine command allows Muhammad to take with him "sons", "women" and "selves"; therefore, had there been "women" and "selves" worthy to be selected for this symbolic contest, among his companions, he would certainly have selected them, but as it was seen by one and all, only Fatimah and Ali (and their two sons) were chosen, because none of the anxiously waiting companions (among whom were the three caliphs and the wives of Muhammad was truthful or so thoroughly purified as to deserve selection for an event which was divinely decreed in order to also make known the true ``successors of Muhammad.
[edit] Result
The Christians were to annually offer twelve thousand exquisite clothes, a thousand mithqal of gold, and some other items to remain Christians under the umbrella of Islam. On the basis of the mubahila verse, Zamakhshari, Baidawi, Fakhruddin Razi and others regard Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain superior to all other people and argue that Hasan and Hussain are the sons of the Prophet.
The Hijra Slumdog Millionaire
I thank all those who have taken pains to register and vote for me at the Blog Awards 2009..
I have been racially profiled along with the hijras and shown the door..
People normally dont like hijras and treat them very shabbily because of the old grand mothers tales attached to them, tales that have been overblown, hijras kidnap children , forceful castrations and what not..
5 Years of shooting the Hijra ethnicity, I found them to be amiable, congenial and friendly, maybe some were rude, hated me as a photographer, but I dont blame them, a lot of hIjras have been conned by journalists and coffee table book researchers.. taken to the dry cleaners..
Every student wants to do a thesis on the hijras including Mr Salman Rushdie..
After Slum Dog Millionaire a movie on the Hijras maybe on the anvil .. the Hijra Slum dog Millionaire with Mr AR Rehmans music, Frieda Pinto and the effervescent Mr Anil Kapoor ...Lovleen Tandon associate director and Mr Danny Boyle wielding the megaphone...
This would be the biggest mega hit..with Brad Pitt ,Sean Penn and Al Pacino and Robert De Niro playing stellar roles..
The heroine could be played to the hilt by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi..my Hijra Guru Supreme.
And Heena Hijra of Peela House Mumbai Cages playing second romantic lead..
Well I digress , back to the Photo Blog Awards 2009 ..I have been nominated , I have received 57 votes, but I need more votes..call it pimping for votes..if you may...but do take time to vote for me and my hijra eunuch blogs..
Now some of the comments that I have received from friends and welll wishers..but I must confess I would have never enlisted my blogs it was Magic Eye aka Deepak Ambebal who led me up the aisle..
And the blessings of my Hijra Guru Laxmi Narayan Triipathi ...and my grand daughter Marziya Shakir 15 month old.. who loves hijras more than me..
Comments
Written by magiceye
11 days ago
an excellent blog that documents the trials and travails of a community that is on the fringes of society due to their neuter gender.
Written by netsams
11 days ago
Noone cud detail the life of the eunuch the way he does...tres superbe!
Written by assadajd
11 days ago
it doesnt get any btta dn him!...fantastic work...real deep...
Written by losackmd
11 days ago
Firoze transcends brilliance and touches all our hearts and minds
Written by smma59
11 days ago
Beautiful Blog this is an example of hard work and dedication.
Written by tomandrews
11 days ago
Firoze seems to have a front row seat to view the colorful lives of the Indian Hijra.
Firoze takes full advantage of that front row seat to share the love and passion that he sees.
I feel very lucky to be able to view his amazing photos on a daily basis.
Written by bennbell
11 days ago
Firoze is a wonderful photographer and great poet.
Written by girishbroppa
11 days ago
I like Firoze picturisation of lives of Hijra.
Written by NaumanUmair
11 days ago
brilliant work, definitive photography and above all, a banner poetry!
Written by IhaIha
11 days ago
I love Firoze's work, all of it is so beautiful, and really shows a world not many of us get to see. Thanks Firoze :)
Written by mariusmuscalu
11 days ago
Firoze is brilliant.
Written by friendswoodfred
11 days ago
Quite possibly the world's most extraordinary Blogger !
Written by libidopter
11 days ago
I greatly respect Firoze Shakir, since he is a brilliant photographer and poet with a deep sense for human issues - and he is witty, too.
Written by vikaskhera
11 days ago
Firoze is a real creative person.
Written by vishnugsr
11 days ago
Very creative and has an eye for beauty at the most unexpected of places.
Written by sarkaofcz
10 days ago
Firoze is a fantastic, wonderful and excellent poet, photographer and man. His humanism is wonderful ! He has all my admiration !
Written by shrutibiyani
10 days ago
awsm shoot...ur wrk is impressive n conceptual too
Written by aljis
10 days ago
Awesome!
Written by AVS
9 days ago
His humanity glows through his photographs. They are witness to his love of mankind. His work is beyond the usual, the run-of-the-mill variety. It's always a pleasure to view his work. I wish him more power.
Written by amishpatel
9 days ago
yor unique working style on ' eunch ' g8 n its makes u stand apart from rest, keep going sir
Written by tiwarisac
9 days ago
very moving images ...
Written by firdos
9 days ago
get shots... keep it up...
Written by Cuckoo
9 days ago
Brilliant poetry thru photos.
Written by metaverse3
9 days ago
This man is a legend in his own right to bring to light a world clouded by secrecy & darkness: The Hijda Commune Words cannot describe the pictorials posted that shed light upon these social castaways.
Written by sompatidar
9 days ago
Firoz's photo poetry on eunuchs has changed my perspective towards them. Now, i do respect them as equal to male/female. Firoz really makes wondeful composition of words and pics, especially on eunuch's life.
Written by ishadowbox
8 days ago
Amazing insight from a man who's words, visuals are ust very thought provoking.
Written by FramedAndShot
8 days ago
Some great shots on this blog. Studies of humankind done with a great eye for people and details.
Written by Ramanathan
7 days ago
The great photographer Firoze has showcased the crushed, maligned, and abused Hijra community. His images and brilliant poetry invoke the viewers' conscience and imprint on the viewers' consciousness. His metaphors and visuals are amazing.
Written by Malika
6 days ago
I love the work he has done on the transgender people of India. you can see that he films them without being a voyeur.
Written by Anu
4 days ago
The bold legend to fight with the concrete jungle world.......hope all his dreams come true.......may allaha bless him......... - Anu
Written by Kamala
4 days ago
Beautiful work.Keep sharing with us,please.
Written by jyothykarat
2 days ago
Its amazing how someone can be so dedicated and focused on one subject. You truly do justice to your art form.
Written by richseibert
7 hours ago
Great Photos! Such compassion your photos show! congratulations
Will There Ever Be Peace in Islam
135,165 items / 1,016,787 views
sectarian strife
muslims killing muslims
had done our community
the greatest harm
tears on the soul
of humanity
searching
for the elusive balm
as another mosque
another holy shrine
gets bombed
bleeding scriptures
bleeding bodies
a trampled
medallion
has lost its
lucky charm
on dead bodies
flies maggots swarm
a eunuch silence
is the righteous norm
I have written this today at Facebook
15 July 2010
Chehlum in Delhi
This is the Safed Tazia with 250 year old history...it belongs to the Mohomed Ali family ,, the Tazia marches 21 km is buried at Shahe Marda shia cemetery..
It was here I slashed the tendon of my right hand and have lost all movement...Itype with one finger of this injured hand..
The Shia World of Pain- Called Ghame Hussain
jab tak matam nahi karte
maulah ke azdaron ko milta nahi chain
ya hussain ya hussain
Shia Kids are Muslims too.
I have always maintained in my blogs, that we are Shias not just because of our fathers , or the Mullahs, our Shiasm comes directly from our mothers womb, floating in the amniotic fluid, a pond of our birth, our gyrations in the womb, the cries of Ya Hussain..in our mothers womb baptizes us to our Faith much before we are born.
May be I sound 'exaggerative' , but I always felt this way, it is our mothers who carry us within their bellies or when we are born on their waists , dragging us from one majlis to another, this majlis hopping is unstoppable, if you stay in Lucknow ,you are into Moharam 24/7 .
The child is very perceptive to sound to visuals,the black clothes, the alams, the matam, the tears, call it a kind of brain washing , but a better word would be soul washing.
Now dont get shocked it is these children that make us better Shias , always leading from the front,their fervor , in everything connected to Moharam.
While at a young age they sit at Sabils the watering holes distributing water to one and all, without reservations , without Shia Sunni or Hindu Muslim difference..the water in the name of Hussain.
Yes our Faith is a drop of water,it resides in our eyes.
God made tears than placed them in Shia eyes.
Shia eyes will never run dry.. the rivers might.
As long as the Name of Hussain remains Alive.
This is Ghame Hussain.
I am fascinated with children, I shoot children ,Shia children shoot me , here in this picture I made them pose, purposely, to show you the discipline of their actions to anything connected to Imam Hussain.
They know this photographer long hair, earrings , blonde hair, whatever his country he is a follower of Hussain.. Hussainiyat is a Universal passport, no borders , we bond through the blood of Hussain..We might beat our chest in Delhi or Lucknow or Mumbai or Hyderabad on Ashura , but sounds will like speed of light cover Pakistan, Iran Azerbaijan, reverberate at the Roza of Imam Hussain at Karbala.. This is Shiasm.
No I do not forget those Shias in UK USA Canada, New Zealand Australia..here too the sounds are twice harder one for the land of their forefathers, yes I am crying, another for Karbala the land of our Faith.Our spiritual nationalism is Hussainyat another name for Humanity.
Yes we are Shias.
Call us what you want to , whether you call us heretics , kaffirs, the fact remains and almost taunts your pristine opinion, we have kept the Bayt alive .. we the believers of Ahle Bait.
We believe in the same Almighty Allah, the same Holy Prophet, you perhaps dont believe in his Progeny , but that is your prerogative.
We have the same Kalma , the same Azan.. we let our hands lose..
So why cant we co exist..
Why are we just Shia Sunnis .
Why during riots, ethnic cleansing by other races we are killed as Muslims, our women raped our children sodomized.. perhaps you are shocked at my harsh words,but they are mild very mild compared to the grenades that as Muslims we lob in Masjids, suicide bombing Namazis.
Yes we are Muslims..we are products of our Arabic ancestral barbarism, we kill to shock , with style, we kill each other like we killed Hazrat Ali in the Mosque.
Or Imam Hussain and his family mercilessly without water and food at Karbala.
But yes we are Muslims we slaughter cattle goats during Bakra Idd..
Yes we Muslms certainly love to kill.. our own kind more than anything.
Our Mullah are busy watching a late night show.
The Silence of the Lambs.
Below are pictures of Kids of Mr Shabeeb Rizvis household who reinforce my faith, every time it gets shaky..the Rizvi kids are the true apostles of our Faith.. I did not use the word Soldiers.. we have enough of them as 12 year old chopping heads for the greater glory of Islam across the borders.
a mother watches
Eyes that hold Karbala
The Matam
Ya Hussain Ya Hussain
May 3rd, 2007
Ab Delhi Door Nahi ..Ya Hussain Ya Hussain
The fragrance of Moharam is in the air..
the yazid of our times we dare bleeding since
1400 year a protest against terrorism we bare
in every village city square peace hope
humanity ya hussain ya hussain embedded
in our prayers karbala shame a gariba
a memory that became a nightmare
Blogger Support Please Remove Word Verification From My Blogs
Blogger Support Please Remove Word Verification From My Blogs, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
211,270 items / 1,752,113 views
Walking on Fire at Jigedevi Tamilnadu Ag Ka Matam
Potential Spam
In this case, word verification is applied to certain potential spam blogs by an automated system. Because this is automated there will necessarily be some false positives, though we're continually working on improving our algorithms to avoid these. If your blog is one of the false positives, we apologize. Having the word verification on your posting form does not prevent you from publishing and does not mean that your blog will be deleted or otherwise punished if it is not actually in violation of our policies.
To avoid further inconveniences when publishing, click the "?" (question mark) icon next to the word verification on your posting form:
That will take you to a page where you can request a review for your blog. We'll have someone look at it, verify that it isn't spam, and then whitelist your blog so it no longer has the word verification requirement.
There is no Question Mark..on my posting Form .. hence this post for Blogger Support..
I think Flickr support is more faster quicker efficient than Blogger Support
shahasthussain.blogspot.com/2011/11/blogger-support-pleas...
HELP
How Do I Contact Blogger Support To Get Rid of Word Verification against number of Posts I cross blog from Flickr to Blogspot
Short description of problem:
Blog Address:http://shahasthussain.
Browser(s) Name/Version (ex: Firefox 4, Internet Explorer 8):Firefox 7
Geographical Location (ex: San Francisco / USA):Mumbai India Bandra
Long description of problem:
I want to contact your Blogspot Support .to remove the Word Verification on my posts that I cross Blog from Flickr to Blogspot , this is educational subject on Shiasm as a photo journalist blog showcasing the Shia culture during Moharam in all parts of India..I have a permanently damaged right hand and filling the Capache words causes my fingers to hurt I am a diabetic with diminishing vision..
Firoze Shakir Photographerno1
If you make a large number of posts in a single day, you will be required to complete word verification. After 24 hours, the word verification will automatically be removed. Learn more
Santosh Shetty and Me And The Hijra Ethos Of Mumbai
Santosh Shetty and Me And The Hijra Ethos Of Mumbai, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
211,270 items / 1,751,776 views
I met Mr Santosh Shetty by cosmic chance, I never knew him , and this meeting was part of my destiny and the beginning of my tryst with the hijras.. I began shooting hijras from Park Site Vikhroli, .. which was the venue of a All India Hijra Conference or All India Hijra Sammelan.
I had read about it in the newspaper and I spoke to Laxmi Narayan Tripathi her hijra group was not attending the conference , but she told me to go ..
I reached Vikhroli and the venue of the conference dressed in saffron I was bodily thrown out by the hijras , luckily I met eminent photo journalist of Times of India Nitin Sonawane he spoke to Mr Santosh Shetty as Nitin and I belong to the same club Photographic Society of India..
Mr Santosh Shetty a social activist was helping the hijras set up this conference and is the adopted son of Ma Madhurima hijra guru and powerful personality in the Hijra hierarchy of Mumbai.
After the conference got over I met Mr Santosh Shetty many years later during the Chalisva ceremony of late Ragini Nayak when hijras from all over the world had come to pay respect to her memory again at Park Site Vikhroli..
And gradually I began shooting the beggar hijras , climbed the mountains of Malangad to shoot the Haji Malang Shrine barefeet to showcase document the hijra life struggle without any ulterior motive or money making agenda..
Being a beggar poet I shot them as kindred soul , I took a domain name Hijda -Eunuch Blogs at Wordress , and all my stuff was housed at Flickr.com in respective sets and collection.
I did not stalk the hijras they pursued me I met them at cross roads of my life and than Laxmi Tripathi who was my friend for many years made me her chela to protect me from rogue hijras who did not want their story or pictures online .. this helped and yet without the the blessings of Laxmi my hijra Guru it would have been tough shooting the hijras ..
Strangely Laxmi and I never meet we interacted on Facebook I left Facebook and joined Google+ where I have a Hijra Google+ page..
I surrendered the Hijda Eunuch Blog domain and took a new one Hijras of India , which is the set at Flickr and my blogs on Wordpress.
So Santosh Shetty is the person responsible completely in being the only one who encouraged me to document the hijras .. and I can tell you it has not been a easy journey shooting the Hijras at Kamatipurs Hijra Gully No1 and Peela House Hijra Cages , but I did not give up at all.
And my four year old gifted grand daughter shoots the hijras too on the Nikon D 80.. this year the hijras beggars who come during Bakra Idd came to meet her but she was in Lucknow..
I took Viola and Kim my friends from Demark to Santosh Shettys mothers house at Vikhroli , he was in Neral but asked us to come to Marriott at Juhu where he told my Danish friends that he would help them in their documentary on Hijras , and for me it was a real bad shitty day my BB mobile got whacked outside Marriott..
I met Santosh Shetty many a times at Ajmer during the Urus he is very close to Gopal Haji and the Najafgarh hijras of Delhi.
However my life is about to change I am relocating a part of me taking up a new challenging job so I doubt I will be able to shoot the hijra community in the future..but my pictures will be a guiding to others who genuinely want to shoot the hijras and not make big bucks at their expense by publishing fucked coffee table books that humiliate and insult the day to day life of death of the Hijra in India under a homophobic bigot society..
The reaso I have been able to shoot the hijras without opposoition , is because I dont ask questions I am not interested in knowwing why they became hijras if they tell me fine I shoot pictures and being a Dam Madar Malang I come to know the story of life the poetry of their existence through body language and the circle of androgynous energy that passes from them to me .. my meeting hijras is cosmic plan known as Hijra Vardan the gift of sighting shooting hijras everywhere I go..
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Shah-e-Mardan Sher-e-Yazdan Quwat-e-Parwardigar Lafata Ila Ali La Saif Ila Zulfiqar , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 ....
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Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ali Mira Datar Unava Gujrat , a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr. HAZRAT SYED ALI MIRA DATAR'S G...
