Friday, January 24, 2014

Masoom Ali Baba The Greatest Rafaee From Mumbai



I have known Masoom Ali Baba for several years almost from the time I started documenting the Rafaee Chancawalli Order of Mumbai..however his greatness , his power I came to know at Makhanpur at the Holy Shrine of Zinda Madar Shah Baba the head of the Madariya Order ..of Dam Madar monks or Malangs..

Masoom Ali Baba is a Rafaee but is affiliated to the Malangs and Qalandaris , he is a great exponent of Zarb or acts of sword piercing and body piercing..you can see his prowess his display at my Dam Madar Set of ZindaMadar Shah Urus ..

Masoom Ali Baba and his band of Rafaees Qalandaris Malangs carry the Standard from Kalliar Sharif Hardwar by foot to Delhi Nizamuddin Shah Dargah and from there again by foot till Ajmer Sharif to the Urus of Khwajah MOinuddin Chishty or fondly called Khwajah Garib Nawaz.

My friend Marc has walked with them from Delhi to Ajmer ,, I have not done this grueling spiritual trek.

Masoom Ali Baba is in the picture with his sons of whom he is very proud.. and I shot this last year at Char Yar Jalali Chowk Ajmer Urus.

This year I dont know whether I will make it .. He Calls I Go..
Yeh Toh Khwajah Karam Hai..

By -

The Seeker Of Truth


He lives with the rafaees
but calls himself bhandari
of strangers photographers
over cautiously wary..
when he looks at me
neither a saint nor
a sinner he feels sorry
my sartorial serendipity
my freedom of movement
he envies ..because i
shoot pictures of his
order he wonders if
i sell them make money
most of the time
he keeps away from me
he thinks overtly
unhesitatingly
that he is sane
but i am crazy
we are both branches
roots of two different
soul shattering trees
his prosaic hold
on my street poetry

By -

The Sufi Ascetic


he is a rafaee
a path he has
picked ..
a monk a mendicant
piercing his body
he does unusual
tricks ..cuts his
tongue with a
sword ...in his
eyeball he pushes
a pointed stick
all over his
frail body
needle pricks
over the years
his pictures
i clicked
be it mahim
ajmer haji
malang.. he
was there
sometimes
extremely
sick.. but
his presence
among the
chancawalli
rafaees ..
as the Sais
favorite
sidekick
hidden in
the orbs of
his eye
pages
of his life
adventurously
dramatic

By -

I Have Put My Camera To Sleep



it needed rest
tired it was
over stressed
over worked
overused
by this
crazy man
over dressed
now at ease
in silence
blessed
photography
is self satisfaction
not a quest
an inner voice
says sell the
camera in some
other form of
happiness invest
so many such
thoughts manifest
all self addressed

By -

Dear Sir, Re:Transfer of US$1,500,000.00 to your bank account


Congratulations!


Ref: UNDP/13Z/CP005

Dear Sir,

Re:Transfer of US$1,500,000.00 to your bank account

We wish to congratulate and inform you that after thorough review of all unclaimed Inheritance and Lottery funds in conjunction with the Word Bank and the United Nations Auditors report, your payment file has finally been forwarded to us for review and immediate payment of your long delayed funds starting with the transfer of US$1,500,000.00 to your designated bank account.

The Audit reports given to us, shows that you have been going through hard times by paying a lot of money to see to the release of your funds, which has been delayed by some dubious officials.

We therefore advice that you stop further communication with any correspondence outside this office since you do not have to pay any money or fee to receive your funds as you have met up with the whole funds transfer requirements.

Should you follow our directives, your funds US$1,500,000.00 will be credited in your bank account by telegraphic transfer within three (3) working days and copies of the funds transfer release documents will be sent to you and your bankers for confirmation.

For the immediate transfer of the US$1,500,000.00 to your bank account, kindly contact the Payment officer Mrs.Grace Olwuole by email the with the below information

Name: Mrs.Grace Olwuole

Federal Ministry of Finance
Ahmadu Bello Way, Central Business, Abuja, Nigeria

E-mail: urgentgrace@gmail.com OR mgimuhernuk@yahoo.co.jp

Telephone:+08079554643 Ext,122

All correspondences to Mrs.Grace Olwuole, should have the reference number "UNDP/13Z/CP005" sent along with your CONTACT ADDRESS and TELEPHONE NUMBER to E-mail: urgentgrace@gmail.com OR mgimuhernuk@yahoo.co.jp for prompt attention.

Once again Congratulations.

Yours sincerely,

Antonio Ramirez (Secretary)
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations House
Plot 617/618, Diplomatic Zone,
Central Area District, Garki,
Abuja, Nigeria


Dear Mrs.Grace Olwuole
thank you from the
deepest crevice
of my heart i say
i was dead meat
but you gave me
back my life today
i will always be
grateful for this
gesture will one day
repay ..a beggar
poet to his dismay
with your generous
US$1,500,000.00
i have decided to
give it to the best
political party in
the election fray
no black money
pure pristine white
no more darkish gray
the voice of we the
people is here to stay
democracy the finest
application of minds
heads bodies at play
with this money
the candidates wont
go astray ,,elect
good people honest
clean right away
no yeda chief minister
no dharnas no protests
a manifesto that stays
on the chosen path
no replays ...jai ho
vande matram
bharat mata ki jai
aman sukh shanti
sada bani rahe
no state engineered
riots rapes murder
arson.. clean healthy
society no taxes
to pay.. work hard
prosper successfully
i pray...

cc to Antonio Ramirez
By -

I Was Born A Beggar Poet



scribbling
my thoughts
on the net
on hold
i had kept
moments
i try not
to forget
the contorted
beggar with
root like legs
who begs
educating
his children
trying to
clear of
his debts
blessings
he gives
coins
he gets
we meet
once a year
we both
need this
outlet
to release
our angst
the call
of the
minaret
our dreams
caught
in a
fishermans
net ..

By -
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