jiye jo agle baras ham hain aur yeh gham hai jo chal base toh apna salam e akhir hai, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
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I normally cut my head a ritual known as Kamazani twice during Moharam , Ashura 10 Moharam and Chehlum 40 day of Moharam....
This year my kama matam during Chehlum has been vicious and deep , my wounds were not healing and even the slightest pressure made my wound bleed all over again..
I have cut my head on Athvi the last day of Moharam when the mourning of 2 month eight days comes to an end..at Lucknow at Kazmain , it was one day I have never forgotten I cut my head and scourged my back, my bleeding never stopped , I am a diabetic ,and I was bleeding the next day on Eid e Zehra too..
This year I was to shoot Athvi at Malad Malvani the only place in Mumbai that has hardcore zanjir matam and kamazani at the end of the juloos that starts from No 8 Malvani.
I left my mobile phone at home as it is gift and I do not want to lose it I have already lost a BlackBerry recently.. I came to Malvani by ricksha barefeet , and as I am now working for my new boss I dont have the earlier freedom that I once had I shut my shop for good..without remorse or regrets all part of my cosmic fate Karma and Dharma.
Two things triggered me to cut my head again on Athvi this year.. this morning my 3 month old grand daughter Zaira Saif Shakir tasted the sweet bitter strokes of a flagellating blades on her bare back.. my other grand daughter 6 month old Nerjis Asif Shakir had her back scourged on Ashura but with her clothes on and Marziya Shakir my street photographer 4 year old does kamazni too..
Zaira Saif Shakir did not cry but I did .. and the visuals remained in my restless soul..and than while shooting pictures I met a young boy today I had met him last year , he had cut his head with a kitchen knife paid Rs 50 to have it sharpened , this year he was there , and I wondered where was his kitchen knife as he did not have one on his person, he pulled out a penknife real sharp and before I could talk to him he began cutting his head viciously making me cry .
I broke down I requested a dagger from a boy and giving my camera to a friend Meezam I leapt into the air and began cutting my already wounded head doing Tandav - Durga like on the Soul of Shimr the killer of Hussain.. this is my Dance of Death..
Meezam tok me for First Aid .. but the bleeding refused to stop, I shot the mourners but again I was dragged to the First Aid Camp of the JUST Volunteers , they used a compression , we Shias dont use ointment or injections nothing just rose water ..
I have just come home an hour back I took a ricksha and picked up Zaira Saif Shakir all dressed in red .. because tonight is the eve of the greatest Eid of the Shias Eid e Zehra ..and I am bleeding red..
The Shia mourning comes to an end and this is a sight to be seen in Lucknow tomorrow at Kazmain and Makbara where they will burn the effigy of a monster of Islam.. who caused the Ahle Bayt the greatest harm..
Yes Beshumar Lanat.. Saikdo Karodon Lant on the killers of Imam Hussain..
This is my new set at Flickr.com..my wife will clean my wound tomorrow ..
