My Grand Daughter Marziya Shakir 4 Year Old Shoots Me On Canon 7D

My Grand Daughter Marziya Shakir 4 Year Old Shoots Me On Canon 7D, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

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I am 59 years old I learnt photography pretty late in life and I am still learning I have yet to understand the complexities of the Canon 7 D Manual..I am trying to get the hang of this new Canon camera , as I always used the Nikon , others shot with Canon I preferred my hardy blood thirsty gulal friendly Nikon D 80..ideal for street photography.. I shot Ashura with my head cut blood seeping into my lens and viewfinder I shot Lalbagh Chya Raja visarjan my camera cloaked in vermilion gulal..I shot Durga visarjan with sea water splashing my face and my camera lens , like the Mee Mumbaikar Bong I would not let Ma Durge leave me alone on the shore I walked in to the waist deep waters and she would push me back gently with each wave..but I would not let her go shooting her journey for posterity..

I shot India my India is different real pulsating my India is a India that is not a syrupy get well soon travel brochure , and this is the same India that my grand daughter Marziya Shakir shot, since she was 2 year old , her India was Durga pandals , specially the North India Durgotsav and Nutanpally Bandra she shot standing on a chair unafraid , she is braver than me she shot Holi, she shot Moharam kids scourging their backs , she shot unruly kids crowds when India won the World Cup.. without getting intimidated and she shoots hijras like me .. she shoots beggars she shoots children of a lesser God a God half asleep eyes half shut..

And Marziya has not read the Canon 7 D Manual.. Marziya is in Junior Kg..but she is at ease holding this heavier camera ,,, and she shoots without making a hula balu.. no drama simply shooting what her inner eye shows her..

She shot me and than touched the button to see what she had shot, smiled gave the camera back to me.. and she inherits my camera my heritage of shooting pain , the only reality that touches us all, Pain is what demystifies the soul of Mankind we are one in Pain..

And waiting eagerly in he wings with a greater love for the camera than even Marziya and me is my 7 month old grand daughter Nerjis Asif Shakir , she drools on the camera , she touches it as though it is the nost precious thing in her life..
The camera is the Third Eye of Shiva..his Tantric Kundalini unleashing his energy on the pictures we shoot .. pictures that are nothing but emotions feelings and the sacredness of our spirit..in eternal flight.

Marziya and Nerjis are both unwell so our house has lost its shine and ..both are vulnerable .. and are being treated at home ...

And Marziya in a single shot on the Canon EOS 7D shot me my father my grand father and my Moghul Pathan race as a branch that is an integral root of this banyan tree..

Mahashivratri Puja 2012

Mahashivratri Puja 2012, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Shiva Prayer
For the devotees of Lord Shiva here is a collection of Lord Shiva Prayers with meaning! Devotees seeking blessings of Lord Shiva must recite Shiv Prarthana with sincerity and faith.

Lord Shiva Prayer - I
Om Sarva Mangal Manglaye Shivay Sarvaarth Sadhike
Sharanye Trayambake Gauri Narayaani Namostu Te
Meaning:
Oh the divine couple Shiva Parvati !
O ! Thee, the protectors of this universe,
Along with Lords Brahma and Vishnu
We pray to You for our well-being, prosperity and the enlightenment of our souls.

Lord Shiva Prayer - II
This mantra is a prayer to Lord Shiva who is addressed as Sankara and Trayambaka. Sankara means giver of blessings: (sana = blessings, Kara = the Giver). Trayambaka is the three eyed one, where the third eye signifies the giver of knowledge, which destroys ignorance and releases us from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Om Namastestu Bhagavan
Visvesaraya Mahadevaya
Trayambakaya Tripurantakaya
Trikagni - Kalaya
Kalagni - Rudraya Nil - Kanthaya Mrityunjaya
Sarvesvaraya Sadadhivaya
Sriman Mahadevaya Namah.
Meaning:
Om. I bow down to Lord Shiva, who is the creator and protector of the universe, who is the greatest among Gods, who has three eyes, who is the annihilator of all the three worlds, one whose throat is blue, who is the conqueror of death, who is the Lord of all, who is propitious who is possessed of all marks of greatness and who is the greatest among Gods. To him my prostration.

Lord Shiva Prayer - III
Naagendra haaraaya thriloochanaaya bhasmaangadhaaraaya maheshwaraaya
Nityaaya shudhdhaaya digambaraaya tasmai nakaaraaya namahshivaaya
Meaning:
Salutations to Shiva who wears a serpent as garland, who is three-eyed, whose bare body is covered with ashes, who is forever pure and the very embodiment of sacrifice.

Shiva Dhun
Shivo Bhokta, Shiva Bhojya
Shivo Karta, Shivah Karma
Shivah Karanatmakah
Meaning:
Shiva is the experiencer and the highest object of experience. Shiva is the goal of Sadhana. There is nothing apart from Shiva. There is nothing other than Shiva. Whatever there is, is Shiva. There is nothing, which is not Shiva. There is no place, which is not Shiva. There is no time, which is not Shiva. To be aware of this is to be aware of Shiva.

www.mahashivratri.org/shiva-prayer.html

Mahashivratri Puja 2012

Mahashivratri Puja 2012, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Shivaratri Pooja
Shivaratri Pooja has been given tremendous significance in Hindu mythology. It is said that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri day pleases Lord Shiva the most. Devotees further believe that by pleasing Lord Shankara on the auspicious Shivaratri day, a person is absolved of past sins and is blessed with Moksha or salvation.

Merits of Shivaratri Puja
According to Shiva Purana, sincere worship of Lord Shiva yields merits including spiritual growth for the devotees. It also provides extensive details on the right way to perform Shivratri Puja.

Shiva Purana further says that performing abhisheka of Shiva Linga with six different dravyas including milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water while chanting Sri Rudram, Chamakam and Dasa Shanthi pleases Lord Shiva the most. According to the mythology, each of these dravya used in the abhisheka blesses a unique quality:
Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness.
Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny.
Honey is for sweet speech.
Ghee is for victory.
Sugar is for happiness.
Water is for purity.
Besides, worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri is also considered to be extremely beneficial for women. While, married women pray to Shiva for the well being of their husbands and sons, unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, who is considered to be the ideal husband.

Getting Ready for Shivratri Puja
To perform the worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in the holy waters of river Ganga. This is followed by worship to Sun God, Vishnu and Shiva in accordance with the purification rite observed on all-important Hindu festivals. Devotees then wear fresh new clothes and pay a visit to the nearest Shiva temple. As a tradition, devotees observe a fast on a Shivaratri day. Some do not consume even a drop of water.

Performing Maha Shivaratri Pooja
Following the method prescribed in Shiva Purana, priests perform ritual puja of Shiva Linga every three hours all through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival. During this pooja, chants of Om Namah Shivaya and sounds of bells reverberate in the temple. Following the bath with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water that helps in the purification of the soul a vermilion paste is applied on the Linga as it represents virtue. These six items form an indispensable part of Shivaratri, be it a simple ceremony at home or grand temple worship

After this, Bilwa leaves, which have to be a stalk with three leaves, is kept on top of the Shivalinga to cool the hot-tempered deity. Ber or jujube fruit is also offered to Lord Shiva, as it is symbolic of longevity and gratification of desires. Some devotees also offer the auspicious betel leaves to Lord Shiva marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures. Garlanding of Linga with flowers and garlands is also a part of the ritual Shivaratri Puja. Devotees also burn incense sticks as is said to yield wealth. Many also light lamps to symbolize attainment of knowledge. It is said that by offering water, hugging the Linga, lighting the diya and incense and ringing the temple bells, devotees call into focus all their senses, making them acutely aware of themselves and the universe to which they belong.

This ritual worship of Lord Shiva continues through the day and night of Shivaratri. Devotees stay awake and spent the night in Shiva temples by chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and singing hymns and verses in praise of Lord Shankar. Devotees observing vrat on Shivaratri break it only the next morning by partaking prasad offered to Lord Shiva.


www.mahashivratri.org/shivaratri-pooja.html

Mahashivratri - Om Shree Ganesha

Mahashivratri - Om Shree Ganesha, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

ॐ नमः शिवाय
समय का इकतारा जब बोले,
जल, थल, नभ मैं मधुरस घोले,
ॐ .......

जग के दुःख संताप रे मनवा, जब तुझको तडपाये, (2)
मोह माया के जूठे बंधन, जब तुझको भरमाये
जपना मुखसे होले होले ..........

जप तप में ही सच्चा सुख है, क्या लेना छल बल से,
पतित पावन नाम है उसका,
उसके नाम के जल से, जीवन की चदरिया धोले, ..............

कर्म ही सच्चा ज्ञान योग है, कर्म ही कर जीवन मैं,
करले कर्म की उत्तम खेती, दुनिया के उपवन मैं,
दया धरम का बिजित बोले ..................

Mahashivratri And The Dam Madar Malang

Mahashivratri And The Dam Madar Malang, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Every year I shoot the Mahashivratri feast either at Satghare Ram Mandir Bandra Bazar Road or the Jari Mari Temple SV Road opp the Bandra Talao.

However this year I was up to my gills in work , a new working environment that made me forget about Mahashivratri.in terms of photography, I had too much on my hands I had to rush to town for some important work, and I had carried my EOS Canon 7D ...on my way back to Bandra before Dagdi Chawl I saw this statue of Lord Shiva , as a divine interpretation , I stopped my cab and shot a few frames as an offering for my Hindu brothers on Mahashivratri day..

And I remembered my Naga Gur Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhada ..my desire to go with him to Junagadh remains unfulfilled till date , perhaps I will meet him at the Kumbh..if the Lord Wills ..

And today on Mahashivratri day I booked my train tickets for Ajmer as I have to renew my pledge to my Dam Madar Peer Baba Masoumi at Char Yar in May from 25 to 29 ..and in the meanwhile I shall wait for my wings to grow .. they are the strength of my spirituality ..

Dam Madar Beda Par..


About Mahashivratri..

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with great devotion and religious fervor by Hindus, in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu Gods forming the Trinity. The festival falls on the moonless, 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun (in the month of February - March, according to English Calendar). On the festival of Maha Shivaratri, devotees observe day and night fast and worship Shiva Lingam, to appease Lord Shiva. Many interesting legends have been related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri, explaining the reason behind its celebrations as well as its significance.

According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri is the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is also believed that Lord Shiva performed ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction on this auspicious night of Shivaratri. According to another popular legend, described in Linga Purana, it was on Shivaratri that Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Linga for the first time. Since then, the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by the devotees of Shiva and they celebrate it as Maha Shivaratri - the grand night of Shiva.

Shiva devotees observe strict fast on Maha Shivaratri, with many people having only fruits and milk and some not even consuming a drop of water. Worshippers dutifully follow all the traditions and customs related to Shivaratri festival, as they strongly believe that sincere worship of Lord Shiva, on the auspicious day, releases a person of his sins and also liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. As Shiva is regarded as the ideal husband, unmarried women pray for a husband like Him, on Shivaratri. On the other hand, married women pray for the well being of their husbands, on this auspicious day.

On Maha Shivratri, devotees wake up early in the morning and take a bath, if possible in river Ganga. After wearing fresh clothes, they visit the nearest Shiva temple, to give ritual bath to the Shiva Lingum (with milk, honey, water etc). The worship continues the whole day and whole night. Jaagran (nightlong vigil) might also be observed in Lord Shiva temples, where a large number of devotees sing hymns and devotional songs, in praise of Lord Shiva. In the morning,g devotees break their fast by partaking the prasad offered to Lord Shiva, after the aarti, the night before.

Maha Shivaratri Date 2012 - 20 February.

Mahashivratri and Tandav...The Beggar Poet and The Nagas

Mahashivratri and Tandav...The Beggar Poet and The Nagas, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

225,409 items / 1,859,640 views


bam bam
bholenath
ham aur ap
rahenge sath
sath jiyenge
sath marenge
karenge hamesha
insaniyat ki bat
dharam aur karam
ek jism aur do hath
a single chosen
destination
on the soul
of humanity
meeting at a point
two different paths
Mother India
satyamave jayate
apna-haath-jagannath


Shiva Tandava
Lord Shiva is also known as Nataraj, the Dancing God. This divine art form is performed by Lord Shiva and his divine consort Goddess Parvati. The dance performed by Lord Shiva is known as Tandava. Shiva’s Tandava is a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution. Tandava depicts his violent nature as the destroyer of the universe.

Characteristics of Tandava Dance
According to scholars, ‘Characteristics of the Tandava Dance’ have been described in the fourth chapter of Bharat Muni’s Nata Shastra, which is referred to as fifth Veda and an expression of Lord Shiva’s eternal dance - Tandava. It says that Shiva’s Tandava is embellished with 108 karanas and the 32 anghaharas - the composite parts of the dance. Bharat Muni further says that Lord Shiva conceived the dance, as he was very much fond of dancing every evening. Shiva further mentioned that 108 karnas included in tandava could be employed in the course of dance, fight, and personal combats and in other special movements like strolling.

Types of Tandava
Some scholars believe that there are seven different types of Tandava. The tandava performed with joy is called Ananda Tandava and that which is performed in violent mood is called Rudra Tandava. The other types of tandava identified are Tripura Tandava, Sandhya Tandava, Samara Tandava, Kaali Tandava, Uma Tandava and Gauri Tandava. However, there are few people who believe that there are 16 types of Tandava.

Significance of Shiva's Tandava Nritya
According to religious scholars, the cosmic dance of Shiva, called 'Anandatandava,' meaning, ‘the Dance of Bliss’ symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is a pictorial allegory of the five principle manifestations of eternal energy - creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion.

According to learned scholar, Coomerswamy, the dance of Shiva also represents his five activities namely,
'Shrishti' - creation, evolution
'Sthiti' - preservation, support
'Samhara' - destruction, evolution
'Tirobhava' - illusion
'Anugraha' - release, emancipation, grace
The overall temper of the image is paradoxical, uniting the inner tranquillity, and outside activity of Shiva.

Tandava courtesy
www.mahashivratri.org/shiva-tandava.html


Lasya
The dance performed by Goddess Parvati is known as Lasya. In Lasya, the movements are gentle, graceful and sometimes erotic. Some scholars call Lasya, the feminine version of Tandava. Lasya is of two kinds - Jarita Lasya and Yauvaka Lasya. According to the Puranas, Shiva dances a wild and vigorous (tandava) dance in the cremation grounds at night but dances a soft and graceful (lasya) dance in the tranquillity of the twilight.