Coming here was a divine accident and a spiritual calling called Bulawa .
I had come to Kings Circle for some urgent work by train and after completing the same I took the train to Sandhurst Road I had some work at Chor Bazar .. At Sandhurst Road I took a share a cab to Gol Dewal, while sitting in the cab I met a Malang who knew I was a Dam Madar Malang ,, I took his pictures he was keen to know if I was going to Makanpur for the Urus of Hazrat Zinda Shah Madar ,, I told hiim if the Holy Saint Calls I would get wings to reach there .
I passed the Dongri road and saw huge crowds attending the 100 Urus of Hazrat Peersab Syed Haji Abdul Rehman Shah Baba Qadri and I thought after finishing my work at Chor Bazar I will come and pay my respects and also see Zanjirwale Baba who had introduced me to this Dargah. I have not seen Zanjirwale Baba a devotee of Syed Haji Abdul Rehman Shah Baba.
When I reached Dongri via Bismillah Hotel Lane I met this malang in black from Kolkatta a devote of Sabir Piya .
I told him I was a Malang now he insisted I have tea with him,..so we sat in a small Malbari restaurant I did not allow him to pay for the tea .. and as I stepped out I met my old friend Hassan Ganda Rafaee and he told me all my old rafaee friends Chalak Ali , Kashmiri Bawa Kassam Bawa were at the Dhuni so he asked a young boy to take me there ,
I met the Rafaees I had been documenting them for over 15 years , the new Murshad Kassam Bawa offered me food , I ate a single roti and shot pictures forgetting about the Malang from Kolkatta .
When I came out of the Dhuni he was waiting for me and he wanted me to shoot the Dargah from within but I did not want to disturb the devotees very few trustees like photographers .
After I finished and was ready to leave to catch a bus the Malang from Kolkatta said he would drop me at the bus stop , I thought maybe he wanted some money I took out 100 bucks but he politely refused and said he liked my company ,,
I told him I had to leave and honestly prefer being by myself I told him I will see him tomorrow and took his leave.
This year I did not go to both the Mahim Dargahs as I was in Lucknow for Chehlum and could not make it to Haji Malang because of diabetic leg wound.
So this is my new set at Flickr my tribute to the Great Holy Saint of Dongri and his dedicated followers from all walks of Life.
Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it.
Rumi
