Once Upon Time With Gambhir Singh At Bandra

Sometimes I ask myself instead of living the life of a vagrant a street drunk why did Gambhir Singh not go back to Khumbong .
He was not running away from the law so why did he torture his mind his body his soul living on the mean streets of Mumbai.

He was an enigma what were the dark secrets that held him captive chained rigorously to a bottle of country hooch.

I knew Gambhir Singh but I never asked him those questions I did not probe his self guilt ,,,I gave him money in good faith I gave him money for food without once questioning him if he would use this money for booze .

I was not a devils advocate ..having been an alcoholic for a long part of my life I understood Gambhir Singh better I knew he carried a heavy cross ..I had once carried it too..

There were times I thought I would take him to my house but he used to be heavily sozzled so our friendship remained on the streets of Bandra .

His mornings began walking below my house to the Bandra Bazar and he regaled people wit old songs he would ask only Rs 1 ..he was never greedy for money and all his uprightness came from his culture his humility ,, he never ever forgot even in his drunken state that he was a Manipuri ..Manipur kept his soul intact it did not allow him to perish and Gods shadow loomed over his head ..
When I think back in retrospection Gambhir Singh left his mark on the people he met people who gave him food money ,, they remember him the hawkers of Bandra Bazar the shopkeepers and they are happy that he changed his life it changed not through my viral video but through his Karma .

Through the return of this prodigal son forgiven reunited he displayed the love of the people of Manipur the way they reacted spreading a red carpet on his arrival at Imphal airport ,, their love made him a celebrity and his family took backstage holding back their tears he came back into their lives like the drops of fresh rain on their parched souls .

I could not change my life how could I change Gambhir Singhs life..I dont have a magic wand but all in all photography when used as a motivation with a holistic purpose can change peoples life ,,,

CNN BBC Der Spiegel wanted me to tell them about this phenomenon this Destinys child called Gambhir Singh of Khumbong ,,

He put Manipur on the map he Made Manipur a catchword for Love a new direction towards Hope and Humanity ..

And these are old images shot in Bandra he was comfortable drinking he did not hide the fact he drank.. he did not rob steal he begged for a living.

And whatever one can say about Mumbai ..Mumbai nurtured him kept him alive Mumbai was Gambhir Singhs safe haven it gave him the strength to survive and it was this magic of Mumbai that made Gambhir Singh an overnight celebrity and Manipurs new Rockstar .

Gambhir Singh calls me and thanks me and I thank him too I reunited Gambhir Singh with his family after 40 years and Gambhir Singh reunited me with God the Most Merciful Benevolent .

Will I meet Gambhir Singh in Khumbong one day perhaps I keep his memory alive by wearing the leirum Manipuri traditional scarf presented to me me by Officers Priyobartan Singh and Officer Amitabh Singh of Patsoi Police station on behalf of the Government and the beautiful loving people of Manipur.

GambhirStory

The Falcons Fight

Falcons 
Among themselves 
Fight with all their 
Might but it is residents 
Who suffer deprived of 
Their Human Rights. 
Once they had a home 
In this building now 
Homeless feel their plight 
A 20 year old structure 
The BMC found out it is 
Illegal height of height 
Why did they not stop 
The illegal construction 
Money has no color 
Black or white.. The rogue 
Elements of BMC should be 
Booked on hindsight 

The greatest corruption in 
Bandra gaothan happened 
During the Congress Rule 
Repair Permission Building 
On stilts a horrible sight 
The local representatives 
Congress Satraps gave a 
Free hand builder politician 
Nexus destroyed the East 
Indian ambiance heritage 
Overnight... 

Who is Wrong who is Right 
Injustice harassment 

Selective bias by the BMC 
For the minorities no respite 

Sab ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas 
Progress Development takes 
A back seat.. God save us from 
Dark Ages lead us into Light.

The Rise and Fall of Falcon Villa

When it was built in collusion
With rogue Municipal officers
And the builder involved
Now after 20 mystery is solved
Marked as illegal the builder
The rogue Municipal officers
Of all sins absolved..
The poor residents who paid
Money now rendered homeless
Sweat Blood Tears in the drain
Ruthlessly dissolved..

The local representatives silent
Do not want to get involved..

If it was the slums their vote bank
To appease them they would
Rotate and Revolve

Find Gambhir ,,Music to the Ears

posted at FB

Social media the power of a single video
bridged a gap of 40 years from the cheeks
of his family washed away every drop of tear
it was not me but God who heard Gambhirs
family's prayers he drew them near ..
please dont sent me accolades I was just
an instrument it was one Manipuris love for
another Manipuri..to a love that God added
cheer ....instead of Mumbais fetid country hooch
he can now have Kubongs home made beer
essence of humanity help the poor be sincere
an ex army man of Manipur Rifles old memories
glorious career ..life gives him a second chance
back home a ghar wapsi.. from a void he appears

hugging him they tell him uncle we are here ..

dedicated to all Manipuris ,,,my humble tribute
miracles can happen any time of the year ,,


video 

Day Dreamers of Bandra

These are migrants from North India Uttar Pradesh who come to Mumbai with lure of money they work as hawkers of these carts selling roasted maize or some other item .

They live on these carts as housing is very expensive in Bandra and they live out their dreams ..

The guy who owns these carts too is a migrant and he gets these guys from his hometown as cheap labour .

Life in Bandra is self explanatory through pictures but nobody really cares about them but Mumbai is a migrant destination and migrants have made it big in this city ..

There is no migrant policy a lot of migrants who can't get jobs become drug addicts take to crime ..

I have lived in Mumbai for over 64 years ..30 years in Colaba and the rest in Bandra ..life for the migrant is certainly not a bed of roses ..

A lot of migrants come as helper boys for the Slumdog Caterers and save money learn the trade and start their own kiosk supplying food for religious events weddings etc.

I know of caterers that made it big have their own apartments in Bandra and shops ..

But more than hard work perseverance you need Lady Luck ..she is the ultimate game changer ..she can turn your rags to riches or your riches to rags .

Endangered Specie In Bandra Jesus Hunted By The BMC Mumbai

Jesus was spending his last days at Bandra  peaceful place  BMC wanted to demolish his crosses remove every trace. Hail Mary Full of Grace .

Glory Of The Mount Mary Church, Bandra

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, more commonly known as Mount Mary Church, is a Roman Catholic Basilica located in Bandra, Mumbai. The feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated here on the first Sunday after 8 September, the birthday of the Virgin Mary. The feast is followed by a week-long celebration known locally as the Bandra Fair and is visited by thousands of people.[1][2]

The Basilica[edit]
The basilica stands on a hillock, about 80 metres above sea level overlooking the Arabian Sea. It draws lakhs of devotees and pilgrims annually. Many of the faithful attest to the miraculous powers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The shrine attracts people from all faiths who pray to Virgin Mary for expressing their gratitude or requesting favours. The church was destroyed in 1738 during a raid by the Marathas.

During the Bandra Fair, the entire area is decorated with festoons and buntings. Many pitch up stalls selling religious articles, roasted grams, snacks and sweets. Wax figures of the Virgin Mary, along with an assortment of candles shaped like hands, feet and various other parts of the body are sold at kiosks. The sick and the suffering choose a candle or wax figure that corresponds to their ailment and light it in Church, with the pious hope that Mother Mary will consider their appeals for help.


Although the current church edifice is just 100 years old, the history behind the current statue of Our Lady goes back to the 16th century when Jesuit priests from Portugal brought the statue to the current location and constructed a chapel. In 1700 Arab pirates interested in the gilt-lined object held in the hand disfigured the statue by cutting off the right hand.{{fact}}

In 1760, the church was rebuilt and the statue was substituted with a statue of Our Lady of Navigators in St. Andrew's church nearby. This statue has an interesting legend. It goes that a Koli fisherman dreamt that he would find a statue in the sea. The statue was found floating in the sea between 1700 and 1760. A Jesuit Annual Letter dated to 1669 and published in the book St. Andrew's Church, Bandra (1616–1966) supports this claim. The Koli Fishermen call the statue as Mot Mauli, literally meaning The Pearl Mother (Mot= Moti= pearl and Mauli= Mother). However the pervious statue is now restored and now enjoys the place of honour in the bascilica. Both Hindu and Christian Kolis visit this shrine often giving it a kind of syncretic nature.[3]
wikipedia

Bandra ,,Lives On Beyond Bandra

I read every post and comb every picture by @firoze_shakir. my father was born and raised in india [britishly so] and I was in mumbai myself as a child, although we called it bombay back then. firoze posts mostly of bandra, a wildly eclectic neighborhood nestled against the ocean to the west. as a young boy this is where I first saw the underbelly of the world, the poorest of the poor in the streets toeing the stark lines of a class system that india still struggles with today. and yet bandra as I remember it is the nice part of town. on the outskirts of the city there are mini cities of shacks and shanties almost as far as the eye can see. the sadness can be almost unbearable at times. I hear from friends how much things have changed and I've longed to go back for many years. really I am waiting until my son is old enough to appreciate the trip so that I can take him. in the meantime firoze's pictures keep india fresh for me. such a beautiful and vibrant land and yet so challenged as well.
this morning I ran across an article comparing bandra to new york's lower east side: www.ozy.com/good…/nycs-lower-east-side-in-india/41380
I thought I would share with you today @firoze_shakir. thanks for being my window to a world I will never forget.

Foalsi

The Shastri Nagar Slums Bandra Should Get The First Prize For Swach Bharat Abhiyan

Bandra The Eternal Queen Of Garbage In The Suburbs

The Lazy Confused Am Admi Of Bandra ,, Is Dreaming Of Acche Din

who to vote
congress
bjp or
independent
candidate
he confusedly
wonders as
his sterile
mind revolves
away from his
garrulous nagging
wifes rolling pin
she got fucked
tired threw him
out  locked the
doors she wont let
him in ..twice before
in his drunkenness
he had broken her
nagging nose her
crooked chin .
while he was
asleep she poked
his balls with a
safety pin
deflating his
languishing libido
his parts made of tin
he was a sad case
he could neither
get it up or let it
go in ,,i am talking
about his dreamy
 desires accelerate
but the engine
would just not start
cursing cussing
where to begin
the pain pathos
of our man Flynn

Farewell Mr Gopinath Munde Sab

This was shot by me during Mr Gopinath Munde Sabs visit to Highland Court Bandra a very long meeting at Advocate Ashish Shelars house .

A huge crowd waited for Mr Gopinath Munde Sab  a messiah of the poor and a mass leader .

He was humble blessed the people and shook hands with the Bandra BJP cadre and volunteers .

I offer my condolences to his family to our MP Ms Poonam Mahajan hope God gives them the strength to bear this irreparable loss , a loss for our state and our Nation,.

About Mr Gopinath Munde

from wikipedia

Ambox current red.svgThis article is about a person who has recently died. Some information, such as the circumstances of the person's death and surrounding events, may change as more facts become known.
Gopinath Munde
गोपीनाथ मुंडे
Gopinath Munde
Minister of Rural Development
In office
26 May 2014 – 03 June 2014
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded byJairam Ramesh
Member of Lok Sabha
In office
2009 – 03 June 2014
Preceded byJaisinghrao Gaikwad (NCP)
ConstituencyBeed
Personal details
BornDecember 12, 1949
Nathra Village, Parali
DiedJune 3, 2014 (aged 64)
New Delhi
NationalityIndian
Political partyBhartiya Janata Party
Spouse(s)Pradnya Munde
ChildrenPankaja,Pritam,Yashashri
ProfessionPolitician
ReligionHindu
WebsiteGopinath Munde Web
Gopinath Pandurang Munde (12 December 1949 – 3 June 2014) was an Indian politician from Maharashtra. He was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for five terms during 1980-1985 and 1990-2009. He was also the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during 1992-1995. He has held the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1995-1999.[1] Munde was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009 and 2014, and served as the Deputy Leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha. He was appointed as the Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in Narendra Modi's cabinet.

ersonal life[edit]
Munde was born in Parali, Maharashtra, on 12 December 1948, to Pandurang Munde and Limbabai Munde in a middle class Vanjari (caste) farmer's family.[2]

Munde's wife Pradnya is a sister of late Pramod Mahajan, a senior BJP leader.[2][3] His family included his eldest sibling, sister, Saraswati Karad, elder brother Pandit Anna, who is actively involved in social and political work. He was the third child in the family. He has two younger brothers, Manikrao and Venkatrao.

Munde had three daughters — Pankaja, Pritam and Yashashri. Pankaja is an MLA. Pritam is a doctor, and Yashashri is studying law.[2]

Education[edit]
Munde attended a government primary school, in Nathra village, Beed district where classes were conducted "under a tree". He later attended the Zilla Parishad high school in Parali. He obtained a BA in commerce from college in Ambejogai.[2] Subsequently, he studied at the ILS College in Pune.[4]

After Gopinath Munde became Rural Development Minister in 2014, controversy erupted over his educational qualification. According to the affidavit submitted to Election Commission by Munde for the Lok Sabha elections, he graduated from New Law College, Pune in 1976 but the college was established in 1978. [5]

Political career[edit]
Munde got involved into Politics when he met Pramod Mahajan, a friend and colleague in the college.[6] As a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, he took part in the agitation against the state of emergency imposed by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He was incarcerated in the Nashik central jail until the Emergency was lifted.

In 1971, he associated with the campaign of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate in the Lok Sabha election in the Beed constituency.[citation needed] He attended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Shiksha Varga (Training Camp) held in Pune that year. He soon became the Sambhajinagar Mandal Karyavah, looking after half a dozen shakhas of the RSS, and subsequently, the in-charge of its Pune City Students' Cell. Later, he was made a member of the executive committee of the city RSS.[citation needed] The Janata Party by this time had split, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, founded by the leaders the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh had come into existence. Munde was made President of the Maharashtra unit of the BJP's youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

Vidhan Sabha[edit]
He was Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha from 12 December 1991 to 14 March 1995. Munde was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra when Manohar Joshi-led government took over the reins of the state on 14 March 1995.[6]

Lok Sabha[edit]
Munde served as a member of the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–2014), representing the Beed constituency.[7][8] In 2014, Munde again won the Lok sabha election from Beed Constituency by margin of 1.4 lakh votes. Subsequently, on 26 May 2014, he was appointed as Minister of Rural Development by Prime minister Narendra Modi.[9]

Death[edit]
Munde was involved in a road accident at 6:20 AM on June 3, 2014, while on his way to the Delhi airport.[10] The accident took place at Aurobindo Marg in South Delhi. He was brought to AIIMS by his personal assistant and driver, 10 minutes after the accident. After receiving CPR, he was declared dead at 7:20 AM.[11] Reports state the driver that hit Munde's car has been taken into custody.[12]

Perhaps The Muslim Vote Too Wanted To Go For Change ...Instead of Corruption Peace Humanity Progress In Exchange