This was shot in Lucknow last year in color obviously , blood stands out as protest in color defying both space and time ,, though I have shot Moharam in Lucknow in BW too on Ilford Delta 100 ASA ,, It was my personal favorite but I dont shoot film anymore I prefer shooting color and than tweaking a few pictures BW ,, as my enduring efforts at fine art so to speak.
I dont wont ever use Photo Shop.
And Moharam in BW might look like a man inked for the wrong reasons .. in Mumbai inking is another political pastime ,, but shooting a mans bleeding in BW is inking his resolve his anger his pain that has lived since 1400 years .. along with the throaty chant of Ya Hussain.. it never ends it will never end ,,
Moharam Chehlum is the 40 day of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain grandson of the Holy Prophet , and in memory of the Battle of Karbala with the Caliph of the Umayad Dynasty accursed Yazid,,
After Chehlum gets over the Shias celebrate Athvi when Moharam officially comes to an end ,,, the next day . or dawn the Shias celebrate the victory of Good over Evil burn effigies of the Killers of Imam Hussain .. and appesae the Mother of Imam Hussain Princess Zehra daughter of the Holy Prophet of Islam.
Th most prolific Athvi celebrations in mourning take place in Lucknow with the Chup Tazia and the burial of the same and a lot bloodletting at Kazmain..
The Anjumans from allover Lucknow come to the Roza of Imam Hussain at Kazmain... people come here do matam and cry, huge tears that I tried to shoot also in BW ,,,
But this year I might not be able to go to Lucknow for Chehlum and hope to be there for Athvi.. cutting my head with Baney Bhais anjuman on the streets ,,,
