Believe Me The Rafaees Are Not The Easiest People To Shoot, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
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Now after so many years of introspection, of documenting the Rafaee blithe spirit , and going back over those twelve thirteen years , I realize I was lucky and had I not been cogently introduced to them by Fahad Pathan son of the late Imam of the Makhdhoom Shah Dargah mosque I doubt I could have shot them, and besides the Murshad of that time Sikandar Wali Baba loved being photographed loved talking his pidgin English to impress his followers and Murids that he was more educated than them them at all level not just the spiritual one.
After his death several Murshads took his place but shortlived , both Handi and Barsati Baba died prematurely , the present Sarkar Ali is defiant and wont give in easily.
As these Rafaees originally come from ChanSha Wali or ShansaWali or Chancawalli as I call them , they spend their time in transit at Mahim main dargah and than after Makhdhoom Shah Babas Urus shift to Fakhruddin Shah Baba Dargah newly renovated on the main road.
They keep the Fires burning of the Dhuni a fire concept among naga sadhus too.
And there is a lot of hash or chillum smoking at the Dhuni one of the common feature among the Sufi Rafaees and the Hindu Naga Sadhus.
For the Rafaee the Urus is akin to the fervor of the Nagas at the Shahi Snan..
The Rafaee follows the Sandal of the particular Holy Saint performing his rituals his self infliction or body piercing acts .. and getting ample alms on that day from bystanders murids and the general crowd including the shops they pass by.
During their stay at the Dhuni Urus time they serve niyaz , kill a goat or two offered by their rich patrons and give food to their followers and the poor.
They also do charity , being mendicants themselves.
There is a lot of curing of possessed souls exorcisms too.
These bawas are are self confessed holistic healers and in local parlance do Dua Tawiz.
The radicals hate them for their life style and the chillum gatherings and several other reasons considering their acts not part of regular fundamental religion that the radicals follow.
As a photographer I shoot this Sufi sect this was my genre and as a Malang following the teachings of my Peer Syed Ali Baba Masoomi Asqan I believe live and let others live .. we are all paths leading to Oneness of Human Spirit hope Peace And Reality .
