The Dabbawalas of Bandra

The Dabbawalas of Bandra, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

I was always fascinated by the hardworking precision bound dabbawalas ..and it goes a long way back, in the early 80s I was working at a fashion store at Bandra and so the dabbawala bought my meals from home at Strand Cinema Colaba..and for that one service so many years back in gratitude I shoot the Dabbawalas I promote their gospel of peace .. and the Dabbawalas are pucca Marathi Manoos , simple and non controversial.. the only time they tok a holiday in the history of the Dabbbawalas was to support Mr Anna Hazare at Azad Maidan I shot that too.. so if I have a camera I stop them and shoot them , ..I know most of the guys from Bandra , and they know me and I inquire about their head man Mr Sopan..

And an American Management college to showcase the Dabbawalas requested me for their pictures and from an Italian photographer .. so now you know what Dabbawalas mean to me,,and what my pictures of Dabbawalas mean to the international community too.

I shoot them at NM Joshi Marg or Bandra Station ..I shot them in the rains , I shot them during the difficult times in the city ,,,Photography should have a purpose it should showcase other communities , faith cultural ethos ,, we street photographers show you darkness it is our leaders who should add light ,, we are just catalytic nothing more nothing less .

Will the government give the free housing , better facilities to their children , I dont know we as Indians are as hollow as drumsticks that dry and fall from trees.

See the Mill textile workers still waiting along with their third generation ,our political leaders in Maharashtra became multi billionaires on the votes of the common man and the Dalits.. and sadly both are waiting for change .. will it come I dont know.. it will come but perhaps only change the lives and lifestyle of our leaders only.

And this is certainly not a picture this is a story board of pain in a single frame, we shoot ,,, we are not film makers ..

Dabbawalas are a proud race , proud of being Maharashtrians and humble and respectful to their profession.. And I dont shoot Dabbawalas to write hogwash thesis ..I write with light ..

And for once I am happy to be a blogger I maybe opinionated , but I write shoot truthfully ,,, and Google Search keeps our dictum of faith in humanity alive ,,,if only Google Search would give bloggers like us free cameras and lenses .. but that has nothing to do with our content or our dreams..