Actually when the drums start beating and people go into a possession like trance it is called the Devi entering the body and taking possession of the devotee .
And all this happened while the puja was taking place at the end of Haji Ali fisherman's jetty ,.where the Hindu Tamils had gathered to celebrate their annual Mother Marriammen feast of Markandeshwar Nagar slums Worli on Annie Besant Road .
I was invited by my dear friend Sundar a Tamil graphic artist I have known for several years now through Shanmugham of Madras Wadi near Worli Gutter close to Atria Mall.
Shanmugham was at the Nehru Nagar Marriammen feast Juhu Beach 2015 .. I have been documenting these Thaipusam type rituals over 15 years now at various Mumbai Tamil dominated locales .
Here the devotee first had hooks inserted in his back to pull a jeep or some vehicle , and hooks on his chest , including fish hooks two sets in his mouth .. the mouth hooks were incredibly painful..This time I shot a lot of videos on my Canon 60 D and my mobile phone but I shot stills and as the rituals started late the light was bad .. and this happens off Eden Hall Worli on a patch where the Kolis sell fresh fish like Boiee and Karkara and you can see the lights of the Haji Ali Shrine ,
I left early as the devotees crowd walk back after the piercings to the Markandeshwar Marriammen Temple to remove the rods and the hooks ,, I skipped this because I was tired and not in very good shape ,,There are no photographers , it is a private event on public space , and the Tamils take this feast for Mother Marraiammen very seriously.
This is my new set at Flickr as my tribute to Mother Marriammen and my Hindu Tamil friends ,,
