If you happen to come to Juhu Beach by chance by accident and you dont have to be a photographer , just shoot feel with your eyes , the culmination of Joy among the people who are here with their favorite Deity Goddess Durga or Goddess Ambe Mata Gauri..
The adults men women children faces covered in vermilion , children ecstatic to be on the beach.. some of the very poor ones live in the slums and bringing Durga for Immersion is a great escape for them.
The most joyous community by large are the Bengalis and mind you without disrespecting them some of them I have met hate photographers , are curt impolite and I have seen them at their worst behavior , highly possessive about Durga , and if you have a Muslim name like mine sometimes even with a Press Card it is difficult to explain the reason for shooting their Goddess and spreading the Message of Peace .
And it is not just a few Bengalis even my own community you have hotheads , who hate you shooting their rituals in a public place ,.but I shoot cosmic plurality I shoot cosmic hope as an Indian ..my being a Muslim does not restrict my vision as a beggar poet and a street photographer .
I shoot a few Pandals where I know they wont be abusive I faced an ire at the oldest Durga Pandal in Mumbai their inhospitable attitude after telling them about myself and my connection with Sonnar Bangla and Sonnar Ma Durge luckily I was with a Hindu friend ,, I was literally thrown out because of my Muslim credentials and my attire nothing else not even a note of apology ,,this is the Bengali arrogance in some hot headed racist Bengalis I had to mention this to those who think the pictures I shot come easy no they dont but those pictures that I was destined to shoot even racists bigots cant stop me from shooting..
