Cutting the Tongue at Haji Malang

Cutting the Tongue at Haji Malang, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

He was the finest exponent of the art of Rafaees or body piercing, he reminded me of late Handi Sai of the Chand Shah Wali Dargah ,who would cut his tongue in two parts and fork it so to speak..but than Handi Sai died at Kota he was heavily into drugs opium was his poison , but he was a very good man ,he protected me , so that nobody hassled me.

Because of my attire , because I am bare feet a lot of women gave me alms during their sandal procession , this I would hand over to Handi Sai,,this was not part of my earnings but it showed the mindset and the naivete of the innocent dargah induced mind.

I have documented the Rafaees for several yeas mostly at Mahim , Makhdoom Shah Babas Dargah and there are elements that dont take kindly to my photography..

Shooting the Dhamal is a high of a life time , and this is the genre of my photography, mysticism , exorcism and possession..mind over matter or matter over mind whatever you call it.

The Dhamal at Haji Malang Shrine

The Dhamal at Haji Malang Shrine, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

118,719 items / 772,961 views

After the fire walk it was the turn of this Rafaee and his troupe to take the applause, there is no clapping, this is not fo entertainment but Sufi stuff related to the Rafaee order ..the Rafaees are mendicants fakirs and most of them are followers of Ghaus Pak,.as I a not cross blogging this stuff , you have to see this long series at my Flickr photo stream..

Lefty

Lefty, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Marziya
has a strange power
over my camera and the lens
she is wordless
yet a complete sentence
her dart of wisdom
breaks through
my mind
my sixth sense
lefty yet so right
beyond
a metaphoric
suspense
a few trailing
failing sailing
moments of my life
I lead at her expense

A Poets Pain

A Poets Pain, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

yeh bat sach hai
main tujhe
chahta hoon
apni khamoshi se
hale dil sunata hoon
tere seene main
rehne ki khaish hai
yeh kehte keehte
reh jata hoon
waqt ke samadar
main
chup chap
beh jata hoon


optional title
the axe effect

After The Fire

After The Fire, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

The fire walk ends and its a traumatic experience for the young Malang he is being taken care of by the senior Malang.

And it was here while the Siddi dhols were playing a woman possessed became uncontrollable screaming shouting, this possession is called Hazri, the senior Malang threw water on her holding her by her dreads bought her back to her senses.

The Dargah experience of this nature is not for the weak hearted..and one Dargah that held my soul in a tight grip was the one at the British Residency in Lucknow.

Actually when I was in my teens I visited Bahuddin Shah Babas Dargah at Marine Lines with my Pathan friend Fazal Khan.

Walking the Fire of Faith

Walking the Fire of Faith, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

118,557 items / 772,355 views

The three orange turbanned Malangs have covered their dreads about 18 feet or more in length , they dont show their hair in public at all, they only open their hair at the time of Urus at the Dargah of their own order.

These are South Indian Sufii Malangs from Gulbarga Karnataka..

The senior malang and the taller one have been people that have fascinated me completely , but the taller one in the front has metaphorically pushed me in an unknown zone of mystical emotions..zapped my soul and my being strangely I am no more young to be pushed into an arena where fool enter and angels fear to tread.

I am caught in a whirlpool of commotion , and the person in question knows this too..I am a simple man , I move with the flow of my impulses,I cannot be dominated pushed or be controlled I am as wild as the oats I have sown.

I am a beggar , only those who give me alms see the beggar bowl of my life..I dont beg but I get alms , and this has happened to me with the Rafaees or the Malangs and the Naga Sadhus.

My Naga Sadhu Guru a very educated person well read , very informative about Islam took me from home to home and I shared the food that was given to them , and realized the mystifying state of oneness with God through the humility of his existence.

I met the Aghoris flesh eating Sadhus at the Kumbh and also on the banks of the Gomti in Lucknow but first time refused to eat or drink what they offered me I was not allowed to shoot their pictures but the print is embedded on my soul.

I dont know if I will be able to go to the Hardwar Kumbh..its miles away and my Guru waits for me to connect.

I am trying to get the tall Malangs number to find out why he has made me a pawn on a board of spiritual chess..and Malangs are superior beings in the hierarchy of Indian Sufism.

In the picture the Malangs are walking on the incense sticks thrown at their feet....and I shoot all this , I dont pre judge I respect every mans faith or ritual,and 118571 photo blogs at Flickr are a testimony of my soul mortgaged to the reality of my cultural inheritance.

Walking on Fire ..Malangs

Walking on Fire ..Malangs, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

118,557 items / 772,355 views

These are Malangs of Malang Chowk walking on fire, the fire incidentally is incense sticks in bunches , they are lit up together and than thrown at the feet of the marching malangs ..the Malangs walk over it, chanting Beda Par..Beda Par..may evil be trounced.

Most of the Malangs succumb, as their feet are badly burnt and fall to the floor some go into a Sufi trance..I had never shot this segment before...it was here I had a vision blurring my camera lens call it what you may but it even stalks me now that I am in Mumbai among my own.

This was a very unusual experience and it burnt the memory card of my inquisitive and restless mind....


And only those from the Malang Chowk can participate in this spiritual event..