I met Syed Masoom Ali Baba when he was young fit robust it was in 2005 my first visit to Ajmer I was documenting the Chishtiya and Rafaee Silsila .
But as a photographer I was intrigued by these dread head monks of the Madarriya Silsila oldest Sufi order I shot them and was also comfortable with their Spirituality as it pays homage to Imam Ali and their Holy Saint is Zinda Shah Madar whose Shrine shaped like Kaba is in Makanpur UP.
My Belgian photographer friend used to walk with the Malangs from Delhi to Ajmer and wanted to join the Order he requested me to connect him with Syed Masoom Ali Baba at Ajmer 2011 I took him along and accidentally ended up joining the Order along with him ..But my quest was hardly spiritual I wanted to document them from within and so a Malang was born ..
I visited Makanpur in 2013 and in 2017 Syed Masoom Ali Baba impressed with my humility my love for humanity presented me the Khilafatnama he made me a Khalifa of his Order .
This picture was not shot by me but sent by a Malang Syed Khalifa .
I must confess it was not easy becoming a Malang There were hurdles and there are still hurdles as I am a Shia and some bigot bawas bought up differently have not taken it kindly to my joining the Order.
However Syed Masoom Ali Baba and Syed Rafik Ali Baba my Murshed trust me completely respect me and that is what really matters .
But next year I will be taking bayt as a Qalandari monk under Haji Syed Masoom Ali Baba Qalandari of Bu Ali Shah Qalandar Panipat Haryana .
If I could travel to Pakistan that I would join the Qalandari order of Sakhi Shahbaz Qalandar Shewan.
But that is not possible I love India I breathe India I shoot India .
India is my Holy Place My Karma My Dharma and my Karbala .
I wish to die in India I have aked my wife to give my body to Medicine specifying that my body parts organs to be give to the poor destitute homeless that I shot ..they lived in me now I want to live in them.
Dam Madar Beda Par
