This Is What Remains Of The Street Slums Near Dagdi Chawl, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
I have a set on Flickr called Slumbai - Mumbai and most of the pictures I shot from my cab while going to town from Tulsi Pipe Road or while coming back to Bandra ..were of this noisy hustling bustling predominantly Muslim slum.
People busy with their lives , children doing their homework , vendors moving about , as a street photographer I had a fascination for this particular street slum, once I got out of my cab and shot pictures too.
And yesterday while going to town I was in for a shock the entire commune reduced to rubble and as I was sitting on the side of the driver , the slums facing his side I managed to take a few shots I thought I would cover it on my return but it was too dark.
And one more slum bites the dust...perhaps the person who could have helped them is not around my assumption, but I have shot slums burnt by fire natural calamities the next day, never on the on the same day , as a poet a human being I would not be able to watch all this..
I shot the fire at the Badri Mosque Bandra but as a person from Bandra I was beaten by overzealous Bohri youth so I climbed a garage shot the proceedings but also prayed to Imam Ali for their safety .. on the Mullaah Saabs birthday two years back..
I have shot the Gaib Nagar and Behrampada fires and the recent fire at Lal Mitti that was bought under control rapidly efficiently by the Fire Dept and the residents and volunteers.
I have shot a Sai Baba temple demolition at Waterfiled Road a few years back, but God is unfettered by the Municipality he is back at the same place same spot.
And strange it may sound the authorities see illegal slums coming up but hafta corruption prevails , sometimes I am told the slums are protected by the local hoodlum owing allegiance to a political don so what you see in films is what comes from real life into reel life.
And I dont know but in some cases the slum dwellers are given alternate dwellings in the distant slums , they rent it out and again start building slums in public places , it is a vicious cycle and much of Mumbai is a slum...
As a street photographer I shoot all this but I am not aware of the ground reality nor am I a social activist .. I am a documentarist and the happy days of this slums can be seen on my Flickr set.. Slumbai - Mumbai.
