Follow The Principles Of Hussain.. Mahatma Gandhi

Follow The Principles Of Hussain.. Mahatma Gandhi, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

The Heavens Tremble When The Shia Cries

The Heavens Tremble When The Shia Cries, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

155,501 items / 1,235,390 views





pain lives
endlessly
pain never dies
under the feet
of hussain
lies paradise
the heavens tremble
when the shia cries
black clothes
swollen red eyes
in memory of
the messiah
of humanity
with his head
who paid a price
saved the pillars
of islam
from yazids scourge
a thought they
dont realize
so we beat
our chests
cut our backs
our heads
a banner of revolt
against wahabbi lies
who with petro dollars
promote a message
of hatred
sectarian strife
1400 years
unstoppable
our matam
our protest
keeps our
mission
our curses
on the soul
of accursed yazid
raw and alive
in the face of
shimrs
blunted knife

The Barefeet Blogger And The Shias of Chennai

The Barefeet Blogger And The Shias of Chennai, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Islam Zinda Hota Hai Har Karbala Ke Bad.Ashura Chennai 2010

Islam Zinda Hota Hai Har Karbala Ke Bad.Ashura Chennai 2010, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

155,492 items / 1,235,288 views

With the camera hanging around my neck , I took a dagger from a Shia man, leaping into the air I wielded it on my head twice thrice before it was snatched from my hands and thus began my dance of death Tandav on the soul of Shimr..

Yes I use Indian metaphor, and I am proud to be a Hindu Shia born in India bound to the cultured ethos of Hindustan the land that Imam Hussain wanted to come to, in order to avoid bloodshed among Muslims , and because God could not change the Destiny of Humanity as it bled in Karbala to appease the soul of Princess Fatima Zehra , mother of all mothers he in his omniscience created the Hindu Shias Shias from the revered land of Hindustan.

This is my interpretation poetic as well as human, and this year I came to Chennai to shoot and showcase the pain of the Chennai lover of Ahle Bayt..

The Chennai Shia

is a product of a unique race
black clothes tears running
down his face humility
dignity and southern grace
from mother zehra
his destiny trace
every day is ashura
every land is karbala
in every heart
in every place
ya hussain
always
an echo of humanity
we embrace
as the head bleeds
his back he flays
a single blade zanjeer
as it cuts a phrase
islam zinda hota hai
har karbala ke bad
forever stays

Without the Shias of Chennai , I would have not been able to showcase this documentary of pain this documentary of Ghame Hussain I am grateful to Ashfaque bhai Dubai who connected me to Mesaq Moulah Ali Channel, Musayb and last but not the least Dr Abbas Ali Meer son of Late Ali Master ths son of the soil of Chennai is not only a doctor but a great Zakir e Ahle Bayt and Shia scholar fluent in Tamil too.. a language I have decided to learn one day ..

Every Shia from Chennai helped me on the way, they were courteous ,extremely hospitable and austere in their approach yes though they are supposed to be only 10000 I counted them as over a million , in their fervor and intensity unmatchable and incomparable..

This is my humble tribute to the Shias of Chennai each and everyone of them..

This is my new set at Flickr.com, I shot 7 Moharam Juloos Ag Matam at Jigedevi Krishnagiri and all this I shall post later once I complete the Ashura procession ..juloos on the streets of Chennai..

The Rich Kids v/s The Poor Kids

The Rich Kids v/s The Poor Kids, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

155,491 items / 1,226,077 views

one learns life
from school bags
school books
rich kids
off the hook
on the other
side of life's
2 g spectrum
poor kids
in every corner
in every lane and nook
unlearning life
by hook or by crook
children of a
lesser god
you incidentally
mistook

choked like
little fishes
in a muddy
dried out brook

paise ki jhankar
bikta hai sukh aur dukh
ram teri ganga maili
yeh kaisa kalyug

Itna Wafadar ...Zuljana Aj Bhi Moulah Hussain Ka Karta Hai Intezar

Itna Wafadar ...Zuljana Aj Bhi Moulah Hussain Ka Karta Hai Intezar, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Okay you guessed it right I am fascinated by Zuljana who here is a horse that is replicated as Imam Hussains faithful steed,,


The Shia kids adore him and feed him milk and jalebis, he tastes it and this becomes Tabaruk.. spiritually enhanced offering.

The Shia women too are always there in large numbers around Zuljana..

The Hindu women in certain areas and cities also revere Zuljana.

My Last Blog Today I Leave Mumbai To Shoot Moharam in Chennai

My Last Blog Today I Leave Mumbai To Shoot Moharam in Chennai, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

155,491 items / 1,226,077 views

I am in Chennai I reached here on the 13 December , I connected with a Momin Ashfaque in Dubai on the net he connected me to Misaq who is a devout helper of Hussain , he runs the Ali Moulah Channel here in Chennai.

I never knew these guys before his cousin Musayb picked me up at the station , I stayed a night at a lodge , shot the 7 Moharam procession on the streets of Chennai at Triplicaine .

They sat there are only 10000 Shia souls in Tamilnadu , but I have never seen such a huge crowd the fervor the intensity as I found among the Chennai Shias and I am crying as I write at a Internet cafe in Dharmapuri,I cafe, I met Dr Meer , son of late Ali Master , he took me out of the lodge and bought me to his own house, his father died recently on Eid e Ghadeer , he took me around the streets of Chennai after I had shot the 7 Moharam juloos , I shall post pictures when I return to Mumbai after shooting the Chennai Ashura.


Last night I traveled with Dr Meer he has a assignment helping the poor sick people in Dharmapuri, I have come with him , I shot the streets of Dharmapuri he will return in the evening than I go with him to shoot the fire matam on the border of Tamilnadu Karnataka


The warmth of the Chennai Shias is holistically healing they go out of their way polite soft spoken and though I look like a strange apparition with earrings pierced to my ear lobes they wonder who I am, , I am not wearing my usual signature jewelery because of Ashura , however the Chennai Shias are people who are bound to Hussain and Hussainiyat ...spreading Humanity and Peace as the Gospel of Ahle Bayt.

I have met some great folks here , actually I was only going to shoot 7 Moharam and than leave the same night to shoot Hyderabad or Bangalore Ashura....but after connecting with the Chennai Shias, with Misaq and Musayb I thought I will shoot the Ashura here too...and complete the circle of Shia mourning

So I am adding text to my old post I miss the lap top at home , I have already shot a 20 GB card as of now..in one day .

Dharmapuri is peaceful town of Tamilnadu and the people are very kind , the tea and the coffee here is heavenly , I have never tasted such coffee anywhere in India.

Dr Meer is a Shia scholar a Zkir e Ahle Bayt , a journalist and like me a colorful personality who gives equal respect to all religiosity , so we just clicked , I shot the Sunni Alams at Chennai street corners I shot a Sunni Alam procession on the street chanting Ya Hussain dressed in black clothes.

Chennai weather is very cool , and comforting, and in spite of traveling all night in the bus I changed two buses to get to Dharmapuri I am as fresh as ever.

I miss my grand daughter Marziya Shakir 3 years old worlds youngest street photographer and her picture on my mobile gives me comfort..and strength too.
My wife has gone to Karbala for Ziyarat I discover Karbala in the Soul of the Shias of Chennai.

And just above this Internet cafe computer is a Warning that says Dont Install soft wares in Computer..