This Is The Most Crowded Place In Bandra But On Eid.. There Is Peace Calm And Mutual Existence, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
I got a call from my guru Shreekant Malushte he was going to shoot Azad Maidan, he wanted me to come along but I shoot the namaz at Bandra firstly because it is close to my house , and above all the Muslims here dont object to photography, and are photographer friendly people , they dont beat the media if things go wrong for the Muslims spread in other parts of the world.
So I would not go to Azad Maidan.. and I have shot Eid Namaz once the volunteers get pushy, and even on a day like Eid forget the message of Peace And Brotherhood. Things might have changed now I dont know .. So I am all for Bandra more accessible and I get to meet a few of my old photographer friends.
I shot Durga Puja Durga visarjan back to back on a injured leg so my leg is in very bad shape and I shoot all religious events barefeet..
I shot the major part of the namaz from the Bandra skywalk,, and even the cops here give us respect , I give them respect by adding them to my frame and writing good things about them and even after what happened to their cadre at Azad Maidan they are more tolerant and dont hound us in reprisal, they all know I am a Muslim .. but thy all know I shoot all religion and promote peace but specially Hindu Muslim amity at all costs.. we are all Mumbaikars and Indians first and last.
So I shoot Bandra ..but would love to shoot namaz in derelict backgrounds or even the Jama Masjid Delhi or Taj Mahal Agra .. but I am enslaved to the soul of Mumbai so Mumbai it is.
