Firoze Shakir Poet - Frozen Time: 07/10/12

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Hand Shaking Goat of Bandra Bazar Road

The Hand Shaking Goat of Bandra Bazar Road, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Now For God Sake Dont Ask Me Why The Fuck I Shoot Beggars .. Simply Because I am a Beggar Myself

Now For God Sake Dont Ask Me Why The Fuck I Shoot Beggars .. Simply Because I am a Beggar Myself, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Buying a Rich Fat Goat Is More Important Than Feeding The Poor Or Educating Them

Buying a Rich Fat Goat Is More Important Than Feeding The Poor Or Educating Them, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

237,730 items / 1,993,241 views

what i see
is not what
i shoot
my street
children
silent
mute
through
my poems
to their
unfortunate
mothers
i pay tribute
born to beg
trampled
by the
richmans
boots
my street
children
beautifully
ugly
hardly cute
in natures
broken basket
wasted fruits
i shoot
reality
i shoot
truth
i shoot
lost childhood
wasted youth

Mother at Fourteen

Mother at Fourteen, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Her swollen undeveloped nipples
a little childs mouth to wean ..
tragedy and trauma of a child mother
vandalized virginity
motherhood at fourteen
she once sold our national flag
on Independence day
at Turner Road Traffic Signal
near St Peters Church gates was seen
This year she had company
Of her new born child
Breathing selling Freedom
A dead quality
A dead virtue
In real Life
good things remain
unseen
quite a common scene
Life on the other side
Of Promiscuity
Is not always green
She was gang raped
One by one drunken louts
mauled and mangled
by teenagers tough and mean
her bad luck no one did intervene
I asked her why did you not go to the cops ?
She looked at me in shock
Sadness and said Uncle they were my brothers
And my cousins how could I spill the beans?
What about your parents I asked
Oh they beat me ..but having babies is not obscene
A baby brings in more money , rented out
A life on the streets quite routine
Childhood killing machine
She requested me to shoot only her child
Mother with a hot selling womb
Motherhood at Fourteen
A click she enters your world
Through this computer screen

Begging is a Fundamental Right Of The Poor

Begging is a Fundamental Right Of The Poor, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

237,730 items / 1,993,115 views

the baby on hire
lost her human
right the night
before her
world turned old
before she was
born her drunken
father impregnated
her mothers hole
thereby destroying
the dreams
the innocence
of this tiny soul
dear monsoon lover
childhood born
in captivity
is nothing
but hot
burning
embers
of charcoal
fuck forget '
the only goal
flesh as commodity
on our streets
is openly sold..
as it rains
brittle bones
feel cold
my beloved india
my mother land
its pain
its sufferings
behold

He is an Anglo Indian man , a street dweller , he lives off the streets, penury poverty reduces man to a speck on the pavement , everybody sees him , but it is Xmas time no one has time for him , or his lack luster existence , I shot this before wishing him Merry Xmas and he hit back with filth and foul words, not that it bothers me , but its a sad state I owe my upbringing to my life spent with Anglos..most important was the Rhubottom family..a very cultured family that lives at Strand Cinema with their members in UK America and Canada..

I knew Allan Gill a great friend and dress designer , he touched us all but than was in a big rush to get back home on the other side of no man land..he died in misery too and it was my other nice friend Bipin Tanna who took care of him till he breathed his last.

Shah Ast Hussain..Moharam in Hyderabad 2009 Ashura

Shah Ast Hussain..Moharam in Hyderabad 2009 Ashura, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

107,875 items / 702,792 views

I start a new intense series at Flickr , Moharam in Hyderabad 2009.

I have cut my head in most of the cities of India , but Hyderabad is a city I will never forget , as a Shia and as a photographer blogging pain.

I arrived barefeet in Hyderabad on 8 Moharam .. I stayed for a single day at Hotel Charminar , at Dewan Deodhi close to the Bargah of Hazrat Abbas.

I left the hotel the same day a friend Naqi bhai put me up in his house as it is close to the other Dargah of Hazrat Abbas called Choti Bargah..where I have a lot of dear friends well wishers , specially the kids who were there taking care of my simple needs tea and water..

I must mention no cooking takes place in a Shia Darga or at a persons house for 10 days food comes as Niyaz and there is far too much of it, it is spread around.

I met my dear patron Nawab Shariyar Saab and his family at Shariyar Palace and tasted the Hazri here ..this on 8 Moharam morning too..

I shot 8 Moharam at Hussaini Kothi in memory of the soul of dear departed Nawab Rashid Ali Khan Saab the patriarch who passed away.

Hussaini Kothi is another memorable experience of old time Shia Nawabi charm Adab and Tehzeeb..and these are all blue blooded Nawabs, but they bend and salute each person that comes to their majlis ..I shot their kids doing this Adab a part of their Nawabi Tehzeeb and salutation..found also among the Nawabs of Lucknow and Mehmoodabad

I had to abort the Hussaini Kothi shoot my battery and charger failed ..I had to go buy a new battery at the Kothi market the same day.. but I had shot quite a bit of footage.

I had also carried my film camera F100 just in case..

On 8 Moharam night I shot both the Dargahs when the Alams are taken into the crowd and put to rest.

On 9 Moharam I shot a majlis of Iqbal bhai a unique house majlis capture..

On 9 Moharam late night I shot the procession at the Shia cemetery called Mir Mousavi Deira ..I had never shot this before ..when I had shot Moharam in Hyderabad 2003 both Ashura and Chelum.. I was back here after six years.

On Ashura I shot the entire proceedings from Baragh.. I cut my head but the blade was not effective..

I went to shoot the Bibi ka Alam when it had passed Charminar, this is the greatest moment of Shia pain, in every area the Alam arrives on elephant , the residents cut their heads like raw onions, scourge their backs and the quintessential Hyderabadi blade matam.

I took a dagger during this procession with my Nikon dangling round my neck leapt into the air and with several blows had cut my head , the picture I asked a bystander to shoot after my kama matam.

A little ahead I hit my head again with my hands to start the bleeding allover and did the Tandav on the Soul of Shimr on the streets of Hyderabad.

I aborted this procession , I had lost lot of blood could barely walk back to the Choti Bargah and at 8.30 pm again walked in the same condition to a Shia enclave for Sham E Ghariba ..this was in total darkness and flash was not allowed..

The tabaruk was the best here rice and curry and puddi.. made of dahi and chillies.

This trip I did not shoot the Imam Bargahs but connected with Sadik Bhai the Irani group head who with other Iranis feeds the poor and the devotees at Hussain Tekri Jaorah..this was at Darbare Hussaini the Irani Shia strong hold in Hyderabad old city.

The only crazy incident that happened here was at the Choti Bargah, I was shooting some street urchins when a man out of the blues pulled my camera luckily it was around my neck before I could respond he had my neck in a vicious grip and continued strangling me , my other hand being useless and I was carrying a satchel that had the Nikon 80- 200 lens and my F 100 - I tried to bear it out rather than resist and damage my cameras ..he was biting my hand too, luckily my host and other Shia youth came to my help.. it turned out he was a mad man under drugs..the cops as usual arrived late and I refused to press charges..

This is the flip side of street photography and it can happen to the most street savvy person..

This is a set of 3500 pictures or more, the blood had seeped into my camera lens so see it as is where is ..

And God willingly I will shoot the Hyderabad Chehlum, with my American friend Dr Glenn Losack MD from New York Manhattan.

I have shot a family of tribal thieves, sorcerers Hindus who have converted with their entire community to Shiasm..

I shot a guy Rajesh from Latur a devout Hindu who comes to serve at the Choti Bargah ..he is a cobbler by profession , and takes care of the devotees shoes and slippers , now hear this, whatever he earns he buys food to the poor , and I am crying as I dont think anyone could be more poorer than him , yes this is Maharashtrian humility making me proud of my roots as a Mumbaikar in Hyderabad.

On Ashura he had cut his head too he wears only black clothes does matam on the streets at Civil Court , Chatta Bazar where the dargah is situated

I do not wish to bore you with text.. and I will avoid it ..only where it is necessary..

Read this as an Introduction to my set Moharam in Hyderabad 2009

ALLAH HUMMA LA'AN QATLATA HUSAIN (AS) WA AWLADIL HUSAIN (AS) WA AS-HABIL HUSAIN (AS).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UIw34DTcvY

Baqar Saab of Bargah Hazrat Abbas Diwan Deodi

Baqar Saab of Bargah Hazrat Abbas Diwan Deodi, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Two Street Photographers of Bandra

Two Street Photographers of Bandra, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Nerjis Asif Shakir Indivine Rank 75

Nerjis Asif Shakir Indivine Rank 75, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Thank you Renie

I am happy that you acknowledge the contribution of the youngest Indiblogger and I blog simply that I might make others
move their mouse besides their sedentary couch potato ass , and in all humility I am waiting in the wings .. so to speak.. the camera and the laptop a new world I seek..blessed are the meek.. our world showcases the pain of the weak..bareefeet on the ground vision at its peak..