Viola from Denmark...
She is the pride culture humility of her country, as a photo journalist she ventured in an arena that needs more guts and daring, she and her friend Kim shot Moharam in Mumbai barefeet paying respect tribute and salutations to the Martyrs of Karbala.. the burning sun , the burning tar roads did not bother her she wanted to document the Shia story of pain and show it through her eyes to the world , just Ashura she shot 5000 photos and you must visit their Flickr photostream..
At my house she came head covered endeared herself to my family my children and my daughter Samiya.
They came as friends and are now my extended family..
Their words to me last night
You're surrounded with people who love you dearly. I can see why. So many stories to tell. I just wish we could tell them all before they wash away. Like tears in the rain.
After shooting Kaisar Bagh 6 Moharam they sent me this message
kimdorff has sent you a message on Flickr.
Subject: Re: Thoughts at dusk
Date: 2nd December, 2011
Firoze, my friend - it is Viola and I who are deeply honored to bear witness to such a holy happening as the Muharram. The world near to hear your story, understand your pain.
Yesterday was without a doubt one of the most intense and moving experiences of my 35 year long life, and continuing to enjoy the company of one humble Shia blogger like you - and now also an intense India loving American Dr Glenn Losack MD - is something I hold dearly.
Love and our thoughts,
Viola and Kim
Their Flickr photostream
www.flickr.com/photos/69647004@N06/sets/72157628314910395/
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Viola From Denmark..Shoots Moharam in Mumbai
Labaik Ya Hussain Labaik Ya Hussain
214,151 items / 1,772,475 views
Nerjis Asif Shakir 4 month old street photographer in waiting , had her back scourged on Ashura night when I returned home after cutting my head , the blades were sharp, and the sweet bitter pain of life touched Nerjis Asif Shakir a Shia child , my grand daughter who uses the Nikon D 80 as a play toy...
They Have Been Killing Shias Since 1400 years ..But Hussain is Alive
They Have Been Killing Shias Since 1400 years ..But Hussain is Alive, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
214,136 items / 1,772,450 views
Shias killed in bomb blasts while celebrating Afghanistan holy day
At least 59 people have been killed in separate bomb attacks in Afghanistan on a holy day. About 180 other people were injured in the two blasts during the Ashura festival.
Suicide bomb attack in Kabul Worshippers were killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kabul (Pic: Getty)
They were the most serious religiously motivated attacks in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban a decade ago.
The first blast was by a suicide bomber and struck Shia worshippers at a mosque in Kabul.
They were at the Abul Fazl shrine to commemorate the 7th century death of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein.
Afghan president Hamid Karzai, speaking after meeting German chancellor Angela Merkel at a conference in Berlin, said the attack was unprecedented in its scope.
It was ‘the first time that on such an important religious day in Afghanistan terrorism of that horrible nature is taking place’, he added.
The second attack took place in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. A bomb strapped to a bicycle exploded when a convoy of Shias, shouting slogans celebrating Ashoura, was driving down a road.
The Taliban has been blamed for the attacks but has since denied responsibility for them. Sectarian attacks on Shias, who make up about 20 per cent of Afghanistan’s population, are rare.
Meanwhile, 21 Shias celebrating Ashura were killed and more than 100 were injured in five separate explosions across Iraq.
www.metro.co.uk/news/884003-shias-killed-in-bomb-blasts-w...
Ashura In Mumbai Through the Eyes of a Hindu Shia ..
Ashura In Mumbai Through the Eyes of a Hindu Shia .., a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
Normally I dont shoot Ashura in Mumbai, I have not shot this segment nor the entire 10 day Moharam in Mumbai since two years,.I shot Hyderabad and Chennai instead...
This year I was to shoot the Ashura in Jammu I was invited there by Sara Haji a transgender head of Jammu Srinagar they are not called hijras but Khusras , she is loyal devoted slave of Imam Hussain , her upbringing very different more cultured than the hijras of other states , I met her during the Urus of Khwajah Garib Nawaz and she looked at me her head covered and told me you are a Maulaiee a lover of Hussain , and she has adopted several eunuch children, she was the most interesting person and it was her charm her intense love for Ahle Bayt that saw me spending time with them.. I was told my accommodation would be taken care of and than came the news Dr Glenn Losack my best friend from New York wanted to come and shoot Moharam Ashura in Mumbai so I gave up all dreams of going to Jamnu , stayed back in Mumbai.
In the meantime a few days before Eid e Ghadeer I met Kim a and Viola photo journalists from Denmark they got in touch with me they were documenting the eunuchs of Mumbai, I met them as they stayed in Bandra , a very decent respectful couple and I bought them to the Eid e Ghadeer procession , they knew nothing about Shias and , than they saw my pictures of Ashura an decided to cancel their tickets of 30 November , they decided they too would meet Glenn and shoot Ashura.
They had already sold their apartment car to make this India trip, they took up cheap lodgings at Waroda Road Bandra , and they came with me shot Kaisar Bagh juloos and 9 Moharam Honda Savoy and finally Ashura barefeet and dressed in back..
They will bring their first born to Mumbai they promised me to show him Hussain and the way and life of peace hope humanity as followed by the Shias of Mumbai, this is a solemn pledge they took and made me bless them to fulfill it, I told them I will place the kama on his head and they smiled in return..they are filming Moharam through my eyes and the eyes of my grand daughter Marziya Shakir 4 year old worlds youngest street photographer and they are seeing Shiasm through the eyes of a 4 month old whose back I scourged with sharp blades .. and they filmed my pain as my grand daughter Nerjis Asif Shakir smiled at them while the blades hit her back..and I am crying as I write this I am proud of my heritage as a Hindu Shia .
I introduced them to a Kutchi Hindu boy and a Shia now known as Amir his zanjir matam is to be seen to be believed ..they met another Maharashtrian guy who wears black clothes scourges his back and who like me calls himself a Hindu Shia.
And last night they met my daughter Samiya and it was one big family reunion..my wife has missed all this as she is in Karbala much closewr to Hussain than I am..And my Karbala is Mumbai.
Every land is Karbala every day is Ashura..
Shimr Killer of Imam Hussain
Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan was the commander in the Ummayad army during the Battle of Karbala, in southern Iraq that occurred in the year 680 AD. He was from the same tribe, Bani Kalab, as Abbas ibn Ali's mother.
In battle, he was responsible for beheading Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad. He was also instrumental in pillaging the camp of Husayn after raising his head on a post to declare his victory
Shimr was eventually killed by Mukhtar Al-Thakafi who wished to take revenge upon the killers of Husayn and the rest of the members of the Prophet's family.
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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...
