The Muslim Beggar Fights a Losing Battle on the Streets

The Muslim Beggar Fights a Losing Battle on the Streets, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

goats are polygamous by nature

goats are polygamous by nature, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

the niqab is moving ahead of the times ..

the niqab is moving ahead of the times .., a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

the hijab is a badword in france

the hijab is a badword in france, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

the girl child is either killed in the womb..or for dowry by the groom caught between the cradle and the tomb

the girl child is either killed in the womb..or for dowry by the groom caught between the cradle and the tomb, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

these two hijab wearing ladies were deported from france luck by chance

these two hijab wearing ladies were deported from france luck by chance, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

for the muslim beggar only two options die or beg

for the muslim beggar only two options die or beg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

muslim society encourages begging by misplaced charity

muslim society encourages begging by misplaced charity, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

they will build grand mosques madrsas but wont rehabilitate the poor .. or the downtrodden.. goes without saying.. get a girl married at 15 and at 17 if her husband is a lout she is begging on the streets mother of two..blind too

her husband is watching from far while she begs.. a photographers eye misses nothing

her husband is watching from far while she begs.. a photographers eye misses nothing, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

a child plays next to her , the other child in her husbands hands and this is what hurts he is forcing his wife to beg.. because he is a lazy lout.. good for nothing ..

i cannot escape beggars .. they are like wordless poetry on my soul

i cannot escape beggars .. they are like wordless poetry on my soul, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

the flesh was willing but the fucked spirit was weak..

the flesh was willing but the fucked spirit was weak.., a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

this is the worlds laziest dog in my area ,,. he is a born dreamer

this is the worlds laziest dog in my area ,,. he is a born dreamer, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Famous Beggar Hijras of Bandra Turner Road

The Famous Beggar Hijras of Bandra Turner Road, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

236,576 items / 1,977,638 views

This is for my friend Bas Dickinson, from Tasmania , a friendly Australian with a heart of Gold.
He had come home had meals with me and endeared himself to my family, than I bought him here to the Turner Road Traffic signal I was barefeet hopping on one leg as the heat of the tar road can be very infuriatingly painful.

When I bought him to this famous Bandra Trafic Signal the hijras were not around, but they are there mostly at noon till about 5 pm... working their ass off running after cars when the traffic comes to a halt, pleading begging for alms.Most of the beggar hijras are in bad state smelly , sweaty, but they are polite and not unruly rwdy like other hijras at lesser known traffic signals..
This is a rich mans traffic stop, so this hijra in the yellow saree neatly dressed takes charge , she speaks fluent English, extremely convincing.. I give her money generously and she loves posing for me on the streets.

I shot a lot of frames but you will only see this one , my friends who I have added on Flickr can see all my hijra pictures poems and blogs.


As my workspace is beyond this signal I often meet them , chat with them and know almost all of them by face.. they respect me too.. but they want money and when I am with my wife in the ricksha they manage to get more from her.

My wife is a silent soul she does not talk to the hijras but she gives them money..she gives them hard cash instead of coins so they like her more.

My friend the beggar Laxmi is the guru of one lot of hijras , they work at both ends two different groups, one end is the vehicles going towards Linking road and the other end is vehicles coming from the Linking road side moving to Bandra Hill Road or taking a Left turn to got to town or the station

They have lunch at a nearby Dhabba ..roti or bhurji costing rs 10 .. or tea and biscuits.

They dont eat left overs unless it is given to them by well packed by those who visit Moti Mahal the famous foodie joint or Stomach restaurant.

It is tough in the rains as they have no umbrellas get completely drenched running behind moving cars ..two wheelers etc.


Most of the hijras manning the traffic signals they say are not hijras but guys dressed as women impersonating hijras , so they hardly have the ancestry or lieneage of the hijras .. and are shunned by the hijra community too.

I have shot theMangti or the beggar hijras extensively I prefer shooting them as their life is awaful.. and they are the lowest of the low..
I also shot the train begging hijras extensively I meet them on all my trips..

And of course I have also shot hijra commercial workers in red light areas like Hijra Gully No1 now defunct Shuklaji Street Foras Road and Peela House.


.

it is mans inherent nature to beg..even when he has two eyes two hands two legs

it is mans inherent nature to beg..even when he has two eyes two hands two legs, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

My Third Trip to The Bone Setter for my Leg

My Third Trip to The Bone Setter for my Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

My Third Trip to The Bone Setter for my Leg

My Third Trip to The Bone Setter for my Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Applying the hot paste .. called lep on my fractured leg

Applying the hot paste .. called lep on my fractured leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg

The Local Bone Setter And My Leg, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

He tied a rope and set the damaged bones in my feet

My Tryst With The Bone Setter Of Bandra

My Tryst With The Bone Setter Of Bandra, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

This was my second trip I had met with an accident at Hill Road incurred a hair line fracture being a diabetic did not want to go to a doctor xrays blood test so I went to the local bone setter but the guy was grouchy he bandaged my feet applied a local paste called lep,I had my camers but did not shoot the mother fuckers pictures ..and my leg got better ...

This was my second trip his replacement is a friendly guy I know since my earlier accidents so I shot an entire series ..

The Crawling Beggar of Bandra Bazar Road

The Crawling Beggar of Bandra Bazar Road, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

The Crawling Beggar of Bandra Bazar Road

The Crawling Beggar of Bandra Bazar Road, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

I was with my wife when I spotted him I hurriedly got put of the rickshah gave him some money and took a few shots I could not miss him..and for a moment I had a feeling of deja vu I was back on the streets of Ajmer near the Dargah..

So really nothing much changes a beggar here or a beggar there the pain is universal the sufferings struggle continues both for him as a beggar and me as a fucked street photographer.