Documenting Moharam In Delhi Ashura Kashmiri Gate 2013, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
Unlike other cities I have shot , Moharam in Delhi , is very muted , and happens outside this Shia mosque at Kashmiri gate ,all across this area are Sikh and Hindu motor part shops ,after I had done my kama matam I followed a Kashmiri Shia contingent highly emotive , one guy was hitting the blades of his zanjir on his head.. and the kama matam in Delhi among the Kashmiri Shias or others is done with a surgical tiny blade , the point they keep piercing in their heads invoking Ya Hussain Ya Hussain..along the path I continued shoot were passionate students of photography, not missing a beat of the flying blades ,and there were some brave women photographers , shooting the juloos , climbing houses to get a strategic position I learn from these young veterans so I shot them too .. and these young photographers keep the flame of photo journalism alive.
There was a very respected senior photo journalist , who came and said to me we are proud of you .. he thought I was a photo journalist as I had a Press Card round my neck,, I did not tell him I was a blogger and from the bylanes I entered the Shia Shrine where it all ends .. The Kargil Shia contingent had young Shia youth , carrying yellow flags of Imam Hussain and were passing leaflets to the public on the tragedy of Karbala , and the commemoration of Shia pain every year during Moharam known as Ghame Hussain..The Kargil anjuman was reciting heart rending nohas and were highly disciplined in their Matam..forming small groups and very aesthetically performing the same..
At the courtyard of the Shrine it was a sea of blood , that the Kargil matamdars swept clean before starting their own within , by this time I was tired cold drained of blood I decided to move out , after walking a distance I caught a ricksha, told him to take me to a place where I could buy a monkey cap to cover my blood stained head , I was staying at Jumma Masjid and did not want to shock or attract attention I was barefeet like the others ..
I came to my hotel room rested .. I was out of online reach never had the urge or desire to search for a cyber cafe,,,Glenn Losack my friend had already left and I was wondering that I had come so many miles to support him shoot this Moharam documentary in Delhi.. though my heart was in Hyderabad among my friends and well wishers ..
I had shot Moharam in Delhi Chehlum 2007 and there were some old warhorse who recognized me ,and a Shia Malang who accosted me , he is my Flickr fan..
The following Morning I shot the Holy Shrine of Nizamuddin Aulia .. after this is my second segment of my Ashura documentary on Moharam..
