Indians love making babies
caste color creed no bar
tired , homeless jobless
making babies
better than making war
babies that beg on the streets
running behind a moving car
babies with inner bruises
maimed and scarred
babies their pathetic existence
hits you hard
9 months rest
with more babies
they bombard
these wily parents
for condoms
have no regard
another baby
caught off guard
a fleeting childhood
burnt and charred
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
INDIANS LOVE MAKING BABIES
Lakshmi Puja
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lakshmi puja is a Hindu ritual performed during Diwali, the festival of lights. According to tradition people would put small oil lamps outside their homes on Diwali and hope Lakshmi will come to bless them.
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped by those who wish to acquire or to preserve wealth. It is believed that Lakshmi (wealth) goes only to those houses which are clean and where the people are hardworking. She does not visit the places which are unclean/dirty or where the people are lazy.
In the Sri Vaishnava philosophy however, Sri (Lakshmi) is honoured as the "Iswarigm sarva bhootanam" i.e. the Supreme goddess and not just the goddess of wealth. This is an important distinction between Sri Vaishnavism and other materialistic philosophies.
The third day of the festival of Diwali is the most important day of Lakshmi-puja and is entirely devoted to the propitiation of Goddess Lakshmi. On this very day sun enters his second course and passes Libra which is represented by the balance or scale. Hence, this design of Libra is believed to have suggested the balancing of account books and their closing. Despite the fact that this day falls on an amavasya day it is regarded as the most auspicious.
The day of Lakshmi-Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya. The strains of joyous sounds of bells and drums float from the temples as man is invoking Goddess Lakshmi in a wondrous holy "pouring-in" of his heart. All of a sudden that impenetrable darkness is pierced by innumerable rays of light for just a moment and the next moment a blaze of light descends down to earth from heaven as golden-footed Deep-Lakshmi alights on earth in all her celestial glory amidst chantings of Vedic hymns.
A sublime light of knowledge dawns upon humanity and this self enlightenment is expressed through the twinkling lamps that illuminate the palaces of thewealthy as well as the lowly abodes of the poor. It is believed that on this day Lakshmi walks through the green fields and loiters through the bye-lanes and showers her blessings on man for plenty and prosperity.
After Lakshmi Puja, lamps are lit all over the house
Lakshmi Puja, or the worship of the goddess of wealth, is the main event on Diwali in North and West India. It is extremely important to keep the house spotlessly clean and pure on Diwali. Goddess Lakshmi likes cleanliness, and she will visit the cleanest house first. This is also the reason why the broom is worshiped on this day with offerings of haldi and kumkum (turmeric and vermilion). Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up Her path.
Lakshmi Puja consists of a combined puja of five deities: Ganesha is worshiped at the beginning of every auspicious act as Vighneshvara; Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in her three forms - Mahalakshmi (the goddess of wealth and money), Mahasaraswati (the goddess of books and learning), and Mahakali; Kuber (the treasurer of the gods) is also worshiped.
Lakshmi Puja for 2012 falls on Tuesday, 13th November.
Initially the house must be cleaned, and a Rangoli is drawn at the doorstep in order to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.
The Puja requires the following elements:
[edit]The Ritual Elements
Silver and Gold coins
Ten Betel Nuts (Supari)
Uncooked Rice
Five Paan or Mango leaves
A Coconut
Water in a small pot (a "Lota")
Red vermillon ("Kumkum") for applying the tilak
Oil Lamps ("Diyas")
Holi-type colored powders
Indian sweets (Mithai)
Camphor
Incense sticks (Agarbatti)
Dry fruits (almonds, cashews)
A Thali
Rose or other flower petals
Raksha Sutra* A new notebook
Panchamrita
A piece of red cloth for putting the puja items
Ghee to light the lamps
Rose water
Water
Icons of:
Ganesha
Saraswati
Lakshmi
Narayana
Steps of Lakshmi Puja Spread a new cloth on a raised platform: Place a handful of grains in the center and, on this, place a kalash (pitcher) made of gold, silver, copper, or terracotta. Fill three-fourth of the kalash with water and place a betel nut, a flower, a coin, and some rice grains in it. Arrange five kinds of leaves or mango leaves in the kalash. Place a small dish on the kalash and fill it with rice grains. Draw a lotus with turmeric powder ( haldi ) over the rice grains and place the idol of goddess Lakshmi over it, along with coins.
Place the idol of Ganesha: In front of the kalash, on the right (South-West direction), place the idol of Ganesha. Also place ink and books related to your business or occupation on the platform. Light a lamp and begin the puja by offering haldi, kumkum, and flowers to the platform on which the kalash is placed. Then offer haldi, kumkum, and flowers to the water that is to be used for the puja. Invoke the river goddesses to be part of this water.
Invoke goddess: Lakshmi by reciting the Vedic mantras addressed to her. One can also recite the mantras mentioned in the Puranas or simply take some flowers in your hands, close your eyes, and think of goddess Lakshmi being showered with gold coins by two elephants standing on either side of Her and chant Her name. Then offer the flowers to the idol.
Place the idol of Lakshmi: Place the idol of Lakshmi in a plate and bathe it with water, panchamrit (a mixture of milk, curd, ghee or clarified butter, honey, and sugar) and then with water containing some gold ornament or a pearl. Wipe the idol clean and place it back on the kalash. Alternately, you can just sprinkle water and panchamrit on the idol with a flower.
Offerings: Offer sandal paste, saffron paste, perfume ( itr ), haldi, kumkum, abeer, and gulal to the goddess. Offer a garland of cotton beads to the goddess. Offer flowers, especially the marigold flowers and leaves of Bel (wood apple tree). Light an incense stick and dhoop. Make an offering of sweets, coconut, fruits, and tambul. Make an offering of puffed rice and batasha. Pour some puffed rice, batasha, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds over the idol. Safe where you keep money and jewelry; Worship this safe as a symbol of Lord Kuber.
Aarti: Finally, perform the aarti for goddess Lakshmi. Always remember that She abhors loud noise. So the aarti should be accompanied only by a small bell. Do not clap hands, as is the practice when performing aarti for other gods. A peaceful and sublime atmosphere should prevail during the diwali day pujan. Do not light crackers while the puja is on or immediately after it.
[edit]Offering Prayers to Goddess Lakshmi
[May need English translation] not available
Om Jai Laxmi Mata, Maiya Jai Laxmi Mata,
Tumko nis din sevat, Maiya ji ko nis din sevat
Hari Vishnu Data
Om Jai Laxmi Mata (Repeat above verse)
Uma Ramaa Brahmaani, Tum hi Jag Mata,Maiya Tum hi Jag Mata,
Surya Chandra Ma dhyaavat, Surya Chandra Ma dhyaavat
Naarad Rishi gaata.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Durga Roop Niranjani, Sukh Sampati Data, Maiya Sukh Sampati Data
Jo koyee tumko dhyaavat, Jo koyee tumko dhyaavat
Ridhi Sidhi dhan paataa
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Tum Pataalani Nivasini, Tum hi Shubh Data, Maiya tum hi Shubh Data
Karma Prabhaav Prakaashini, Karma Prabhaav Prakaashini
Bhuv Niddhi ke praata
Om Jai Laxmi Mata
Jis ghar tum rehti teh, sab sath goon aataa, Maiya sab sath goon aataa,
Saab sambhav hojata jataa, Saab sambhav hojata jataa
Man naheen ghabraataa.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata
Tum Bin Yaghya na hote, vaastra na ho paata, Maiya vaastra na ho paata,
Khana paan ka vaibhav, Khana paan ka vaibhav
Sab tumse aata
Om Jai Laxmi Mata
Shubh Goon Mandir sunder, shero da di jaata, Maiya shero da di jaata
Ratna chaturdashi tum bin, Ratna chaturdashi tum bin
Koi nahi paata
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Maha Laxmiji ki Aarti, jo koi nar gaata, Maiya jo koi nar gaata,
Pur aananda samata, Pur aananda samata,
Paap utar jaata
Om Jai Laxmi Mata.
Om Jai Laxmi Mata, Maiya Jai Laxmi Mata,
Tumko nis din sevat, maiya ji ko nis din sevat
Hari Vishnu Data
Om Jai Laxmi Mata (Repeat above verse)
Drugging a New Born Child Giving It On Rent To Another Child To Beg Is Child Labor Too
Drugging a New Born Child Giving It On Rent To Another Child To Beg Is Child Labor Too, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
This boy is Sandesh, he begs at Andheri , earlier when I shot this picture he begged at Waterfiled Road the famously infamous traffucked signal called Turner Road ..
He has grown now but remembers me well , they all know me kids who are now child parents themselves ..
And I have stopped documenting this signal once I moved away, I had my work presence once upon a time and after a very long time I again came to work on this road for a few months but I had lost interest and these kids to had moved away towards the Linking Road Pamposh signal.
Most of the hijras , women dressed as hijras know me at the various traffic signals I pass ..
And I document their angst , their lifestyle ..all these kids their vagrant fathers alcoholic mothers in some cases stayed on a mound near Rang Sharda Bandra Reclamation.. and they search for open unguarded public places and soon a Slum commune comes up at that time the authorities dont take action , the local hoodlum and a corrupt hafta protection system helps them grow.. once it becomes a dwelling than the builder politician nexus raises its head and by that time it has become a vote bank too..
As this is not my field of thought I am just telling you what everyone knows I am a photographer and I shoot all this this is the street genre of poverty , I have no issue or envy with a rich man, he has earned it legally illegally it is his headache .. this demolition coming in so late , and always during a festive period is what I find inhuman.. period.. and during childrens exams too.
So Mr Diksheeth fuck you your message to me and your rant about Tourism and FDI building towers cities on the graves of living humanity is a greater evil to me than one sided development ,,
These Are Beggars Who Do Make Up And Collect Alms
These Are Beggars Who Do Make Up And Collect Alms, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
They smudge their faces with dirt dust , tie bandages with red color, and some carry kids with real or nakli wounds .. these are professional beggars , there are beggars that collude with gangs of car thieves at Mahim , a relatives car was stolen,, so these professional beggars come up with brilliant ideas to con defraud the innocent people on the streets .
Madam We Would Rather Beg Than Steal
across
you shop
from stomach
restaurant
we get left
over food
as meals
our pain
our sorrow
time heals
we have
no money
no designer
threads
others
could steal
we are
children
of a lesser
god
broken
spokes
of a cosmic
wheel
we have
no desire
no envy
nothing
nothing
to conceal
Designer Ritu Kumar's staffers arrested for fraud
the latest news ...hush hush lips sealed
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