the beggars
i shoot i meet
them virtually
everywhere
at haji malang
at almost every
spiritual fair
nameless faces
at crossroads
market square
mothers in burkha
with their ward
at mahim church
on a wheel chair
or beggar at jj
colony bandra
epileptic with
a quixotic
stare ,, beggars
are as nomadic
as i am seeking
new pastures
away from
poetic despair
beggars with
manufacturing
defects gods
mechanics
could not
repair..
born from
a faulty
hardware
beggars
at bhendi
bazar drugged
to their nostrils
gasping for air
ganja charas
gard hidden
in their
underwear
lepers like
maria now
gone to
her hometown
in mangalore
somewhere
her daughter
mary holds
fort ..unusual
pair,, the blind
beggar boy had
his eye operated
recuperating
in an aftercare
i shoot beggars
beggars shoot
me with their
blessings
with their
prayers
i will not be able
to poetize the pain
of the beggars of
taragadh and ajmer
deva sharif .meera datar
nizamuddin aulia ..
shooting pain without
footwear .. dam madar
beda par makanpur
seeking hope welfare
the beggars will always
be beggars much
richer than your
millionaires
Saturday, October 5, 2013
The Beggar Poet And The Beggars Of Banganga
Once A Year Dear Departed Ancestors Come Down To Earth
Once A Year Dear Departed Ancestors Come Down To Earth, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
pitru visarjan
life death and birth
prayers obeisance
to dear departed
souls their inheritance
our spiritual worth,,
transforming tears
sadness into ethereal
mirth,,,karmic salvation
arrival of durga a mothers
rebirth....
My Roots
once destroyed
by alcoholic intake
an addiction i
tried but finally
did shake ,,
those perspiring
night withdrawal
nightmares that
kept me awake
early morning
utara for drinkings
sake a thirst a
new bottle would
not slake ,,a habit
i tried to break
the lonesome
attacks of
fear heartache
yacht casbah
irani janta
memories
keepsake
hope died
slurring
soliloquy
my footsteps
leading me
to my earliest
mistakes
now finally
detached
from the bottle
i did forsake
trampled beneath
my feet the fangs
of the snake
took up photography
shifted the intoxication
drunken dilemma
of the pictures
i make ..juggling
words like empty
beer bottles
poetic orgasms
i fake ,,,unlearning
photography ..
take after take
Agar Bhik Hi Mangwana Tha To Mujhe Paida Kyon Kiya ..Waqt Ke Pehle Gala Ghut Diya Hota To Behtar Hota
Agar Bhik Hi Mangwana Tha To Mujhe Paida Kyon Kiya ..Waqt Ke Pehle Gala Ghut Diya Hota To Behtar Hota, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
yeh
adhura
sapna
toh kam
se kam
khatm hota ..
na main roti
na mera
muqaddar rota
is mod par akar
na mera bachpan
khota.. na yeh
hota na woh hota
We Can Only Shoot What We Were Destined To Shoot
We Can Only Shoot What We Were Destined To Shoot, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
your
camera
wont shoot
for us what
we have
to shoot
a thought
as a poem
as a picture
dilute silently
mute ..hope
hindutva peace
to contribute
as a message
of live let live
that it originally
constitutes
migrants
from north india
the bhaiyyas
of amchi mumbai
respect to their
dear departed
ancestors
pay tribute
also a message
to chief minister
mr akhilesh yadav
who instead of hope
laptops distributes
instead of security
adds to the misery
of riot affected people
now homeless destitute
the largest state of india
needs change a healer
kind humanly astute
About Pitru Paksha
248,114 items / 2,054,514 views
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pitru Paksha (Sanskrit: पितृ पक्ष), also spelt as Pitr paksha or Pitri paksha, (literally "fortnight of the ancestors") is a 16–lunar day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors (Pitrs), especially through food offerings. The period is also known as Pitru Pakshya, Pitri Pokkho, Sola Shraddha ("sixteen shraddhas"), Kanagat, Jitiya, Mahalaya Paksha and Apara paksha.[1][2][3]
Pitru Paksha is considered by Hindus to be inauspicious, given the death rite performed during the ceremony, known as Shraddha or tarpan. In southern and western India, it falls in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada (September–October), beginning with the full moon day (Purnima) that occurs immediately after the Ganesh festival and ending with the new moon day known as Sarvapitri amavasya, Mahalaya amavasya or simply Mahalaya. In North India and Nepal, this period corresponds to the dark fortnight of the month Ashvin, instead of Bhadrapada.
According to Hindu mythology, the souls of three preceding generations of one's ancestor reside in Pitru–loka, a realm between heaven and earth. This realm is governed by Yama, the god of death, who takes the soul of a dying man from earth to Pitru–loka. When a person of the next generation dies, the first generation shifts to heaven and unites with God, so Shraddha offerings are not given. Thus, only the three generations in Pitru–loka are given Shraddha rites, in which Yama plays a significant role.[4] According to the sacred Hindu epics (Itihasa), at the beginning of Pitru Paksha, the sun enters the zodiac sign of Virgo (Kanya). Coinciding with this moment, it is believed that the spirits leave Pitru–loka and reside in their descendants' homes for a month until the sun enters the next zodiac—Scorpio (Vrichchhika)—and there is a full moon. Hindus are expected to propitiate the ancestors in the first half, during the dark fortnight.[2][5]
When the legendary donor Karna died in the epic Mahabharata war, his soul transcended to heaven, where he was offered gold and jewels as food. However, Karna needed real food to eat and asked Indra, the lord of heaven, the reason for serving gold as food. Indra told Karna that he had donated gold all his life, but had never donated food to his ancestors in Shraddha. Karna said that since he was unaware of his ancestors, he never donated anything in their memory. To make amends, Karna was permitted to return to earth for a 15–day period, so that he could perform Shraddha and donate food and water in their memory. This period is now known as Pitru Paksha.[6] In some legends, Yama replaces Indra.[7]
[edit]Importance
Annadaana or giving food to the hungry is a central part of the rituals during these 16 days. On all these days, offerings are made to the departed, including those whose names or manner of death are not known. On these days tarpan, shraaddha and pinda daan are performed daily according to the procedures under the guidance of a priest. Although these rites are to be carried out daily in this fortnight, it is considered that to perform them on the last day i.e. on Mahalaya Amavasya or Sarva Pitru Amavasya is extremely important and sacred. The performance of Shraddha by a son during Pitru Paksha is regarded as a compulsory by Hindus, to ensure that the soul of the ancestor goes to heaven. In this context, the scripture Garuda Purana says, "there is no salvation for a man without a son".[4] The scriptures preach that a householder should propitiate ancestors (Pitris), along with the gods (devas), ghosts (bhutas) and guests.[1] The scripture Markandeya Purana says that if the ancestors are content with the shraddhas, they will bestow health, wealth, knowledge and longevity, and ultimately heaven and salvation (moksha) upon the performer.[2]
The performance of Sarvapitri amavasya rites can also compensate a forgotten or neglected annual shraddha ceremony, which should ideally coincide with the death anniversary of the deceased. According to Sharma, the ceremony is central to the concept of lineages. Shraddha involves oblations to three preceding generations—by reciting their names—as well as to the mythical lineage ancestor (gotra). A person thus gets to know the names of six generations (three preceding generation, his own and two succeeding generations—his sons and grandsons) in his life, reaffirming lineage ties.[1] Anthropologist Usha Menon of Drexel University presents a similar idea—that Pitru Paksha emphasises the fact that the ancestors and the current generation and their next unborn generation are connected by blood ties. The current generation repays their debt to the ancestors in the Pitru Paksha. This debt is considered of utmost importance along with a person's debt to his gurus and his parents.[8]
[edit]Rules of Shradh
[edit]When and where
The shraddha is performed on the specific lunar day during the Pitru Paksha, when the ancestor—usually a parent or paternal grandparent—died. There are exceptions to the lunar day rule; special days are allotted for people who died in a particular manner or had a certain status in life. Chautha Bharani and Bharani Panchami, the fourth and fifth lunar day respectively, are allocated for people deceased in the past year. Avidhava navami ("Unwidowed ninth"), the ninth lunar day, is for married women who died before their husband. Widowers invite Brahmin women as guests for their wife's shraddha. The twelfth lunar day is for children and ascetics who had renounced the worldly pleasures. The fourteenth day is known as Ghata chaturdashi or Ghayala chaturdashi, and is reserved for those people killed by arms, in war or suffered a violent death.[2][4]
Sarvapitri amavasya ("all fathers' new moon day") is intended for all ancestors, irrespective of the lunar day they died. It is the most important day of the Pitru Paksha.[2][4] Those who have forgotten to perform shraddha can do so on this day. A shraddha ritual performed on this day is considered as fruitful as one conducted in the holy city of Gaya, which is seen as a special place to perform the rite, and hosts a fair during the Pitru Paksha period.[3] In Bengal, Mahalaya (Bengali: মহালয়া) marks the beginning of Durga Puja festivities. Mahalaya is the day when the goddess Durga is believed to have descended to Earth. Bengali people traditionally wake up early in the morning on Mahalaya to recite hymns from the Devi Mahatmyam (Chandi) scripture. Offerings to the ancestors are made in homes and at puja mandaps (temporary shrines).[9][10] Matamaha ("Mother's father") or Dauhitra ("Daughter's son") also marks the first day of the month of Ashvin and beginning of the bright fortnight. It is assigned for the grandson of the deceased maternal grandfather.[2][4]
The ritual is also held on the death anniversary of the ancestor. The shraddha is performed only at noon, usually on the bank of a river or lake or at one's own house.[4] Families may also make a pilgrimage to places like Varanasi and Gaya to perform Shraddha.[2][3][11]
[edit]Who and for whom
It is essential that Shraddha is performed by the son—usually the eldest—or male relative of the paternal branch of the family, limited to the preceding three generations. However, on Sarvapitri amavasya or matamaha, the daughter's son can offer Shraddha for the maternal side of his family if a male heir is absent in his mother's family.[2][4] Some castes only perform the shraddha for one generation.[2] Prior to performing the rite, the male should have experienced a sacred thread ceremony. Since the ceremony is considered inauspicious due to its association with death, the royal family of Kutch, the king or heirs of the throne are prohibited from conducting Shraddha.[4]
[edit]Food
The food offerings made to the ancestors are usually cooked in silver or copper vessels and typically placed on a banana leaf or cups made of dried leaves. The food must include Kheer (a type of sweet rice and milk), lapsi (a sweet porridge made of wheat grains), rice, dal (lentils), the vegetable of spring bean (guar) and a yellow gourd (pumpkin).[4]
[edit]Rites of shraddha
The male who performs the shraddha should take a purifying bath beforehand and is expected to wear a dhoti. He wears a ring of kush grass. Then the ancestors are invoked to reside in the ring. The shraddha is usually performed bare-chested, as the position of the sacred thread worn by him needs to be changed multiple times during the ceremony. The shraddha involves pinda-daan, which is an offering to the ancestors of pindas (cooked rice and barley flour balls mixed with ghee and black sesame seeds), accompanying the release of water from the hand. It is followed by the worship of Vishnu in form of the darbha grass, a gold image or Shaligram stone and Yama. The food offering is then made, cooked especially for the ceremony on the roof. The offering is considered to be accepted if a crow arrives and devours the food; the bird is believed to be a messenger from Yama or the spirit of the ancestors.[2] A cow and a dog are also fed, and Brahmin priests are also offered food. Once the ancestors (crow) and Brahmins have eaten, the family members can begin lunch.[4]
[edit]Other practices
Some families also conduct ritual recitals of scriptures such the Bhagavata Purana and the Bhagavad Gita.[4][12] Others may be charitable and present gifts to the priests or pay them to recite prayers for the ancestor's well-being.[12]
Ye sadiyon se be-khauf sehmi si galiyaan Ye masli hui adh-khili zard kaliyaan
Ye sadiyon se be-khauf sehmi si galiyaan Ye masli hui adh-khili zard kaliyaan, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
This song is from the movie Pyasa from Gurudutt. Lyrics are from Sahir Ludhiyanvi
--------------Jinhe naaz hai hind par woh kahan hai----------------------
Ye kooche ye nilaam ghar dilkashi ke
Ye lut-te huwe karvaan zindagi ke
Kahan hai, kahan hai muhafiz khudi ke
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Ye purpaich galiyan, ye badnaam bazaar
Ye gumnaam raahi, ye sikkon ki jhankaar
Ye ismat ke sauday, ye saudon pe taqraar
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Ye sadiyon se be-khauf sehmi si galiyaan
Ye masli hui adh-khili zard kaliyaan
Ye bikti hui khokli rang-raliyaan
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Wo ujle darichon mein payal ki chann chann
Thaki haari saanson pe tablay ki dhan dhan
Ye be-rooh kamron mein khaansi ki than than
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Ye phoolon ke gajre, ye peekon ke cheentay
Ye be-baak nazrein, ye gustaakh fitrein
Ye dhalke badan, aur ye beemar chehre
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Yahan peer bhi aa chuke hain, jawaan bhi
Tan-o-mand bete bhi, abba miya bhi
Ye biwi bhi hai, aur bahen bhi hai Maa bhi
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Madad chaahti hai ye Hawwa ki beti
Yashoda ki hum-jins, Radha ki beti
Payambar ki ummath, Zulekha ki beti
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Zara mulk ke rehbaron ko bulao
Ye kooche ye galiyaan ye manzar dikhao
Jinhe naaz hai hind par unko lao
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par wo kahan hai
Kahan hai, kahan hai, kahan hai
Give Peace A Chance
Having shot this series since 2004 or much before
on the banks of the Banganga humanity cleansing
mental anguish bodily sores ..anxiety fear and more
people like waves rippling on the seashore ..little
boats romping in the waters without oars..
than while shooting this event i was taken
back to the hindu muslim riots state engineered
killing mother india at the core ..what for ..
politicians hate speeches to gain cookie points
a thought you cant ignore a large state run
by a school child makes hope heartsore
giving relief after hundreds died ..rendered
homeless a blot on uttar pradesh travel
brochure ..as sane indians riots we abhor
live and let others live ..a mother implores
religion caste barriers should not hinder
the progress of our nation peaceful rapport
by birth a muslim ..i shoot hope hindutva
as a message of peace harmony therefore
amchi mumbai my parents from lucknow
were migrants too ,,, gave us so much
so more ..even now she opens her doors
netaji wake up now ..be your peoples
saviour..
-
Shah-e-Mardan Sher-e-Yazdan Quwat-e-Parwardigar Lafata Ila Ali La Saif Ila Zulfiqar , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 ....
-
Allah Humma Lanat Qatalatal Husain , a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr. Allahumma Laan Qatalatal Hussaine Wa Asabehi.
-
khune hussain tapka zamin par jagah jagah tha khaufnak momino manzar jagah jagah , originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1 .
