The monstrous Bandra skywalk it would shock you if it could talk

the government
in power did not
build bridges that
could touch peoples
heart going after
 bar dancers
misplaced priorities
from the face of
active politics
stealthily you depart
today a sad scenario
a coalition falling apart
what went wrong what
made the public upset
the apple cart ..introspect
soul search re start
builder politician nexus
corruption at all level
you fell short you took
the mumbai voter to
be a fool your MP s
MLAs  corporators
thought they were
over smart ..the kettle
as black as the tea pot
rising prices falling
living conditions
unemployment
overall unhappiness
total rot ...from the
hips that you shot
progress development
on the soul of Maharashtra
total blot ..the rich became
richer the poor disappeared
died..in the slums that you
usurped and bought
to build towers condominiums
eyeing their homes and plots
you tied yourself in knots

If Wishes Were Horses Than Beggars Would Ride

if media photographers had vision
to see what we see than on the
soul of a newspaper it would
add some pride ..photo journalism
in india is on a downslide ..big shiny
lenses  crass attitude conceit arrogance
is what they possess ..humility untried
the god of photography because of
these braggarts committed suicide
today a two year old child shoots
the street a split open wide ..
on the soul of innocence god was
reborn no sooner had he died .
pity the photo editor mouth gagged
hands tied waiting to bring in something
new ..brain dead half fried..

dedicated to a blogger million light years
ahead with inborn creativity on his side
he shoots truth reality justice equality
in spectral light ..

The Dam Madar Malangs At Makanpur

If you are a people photographer , you like to shoot faces than shooting the Madarriya Malangs is spiritually satisfying ..

Being a Malang myself and a stranger to the other Malangs at Makanpur , I did meet resistance from one or two who consider photography heresy , but being a disciple of Masoomi Baba head of the Asan Malangs I endeared myself politely to others , always taking permission befor shooting them or I took wide angle candids.

If you live among the Malangs and once gain their trust they will go out of their way seeking your comfort .

Liaqat Baba Malang got a room for me and my friend Marc without charging a cent , to see that we had a nights sleep, though later the room became overcrowded ..there are no hostels or hotels at Makanpur .

People who visit the Holy Saints Shrine face a lot of hardships but are happy nonetheless .And in Uttar Pradesh Makanpur is close to Kannauj and Kanpur and is one of the most visited spiritual center of Madarriya Order of Sufism.

For me living in Mumbai , I travel by train it is an arduous trip,and this was my first trip inspired by my Belgian friend Marc De Clercq so I went and documented the Dam Madar Malang way of Life .

I met the Malangs specially my mentor Masoomi Baba this year at Ajmer Sharif Urus and Rafi Ali Baba too.

Because of my Shia ancestry  family tree and backgrounfd Rafiq Baba calls me Maulaiee follower of Imam Ali..

This year at Ajmer I did not see many Malangs mostly those from Aqsan Order and Murids of Masoomi Baba .

I am barefeet at Ajmer and this time because of my gall bladder stones I did not climb the mountains to visit the Malangs who live there with Baba Wahid and some foreign Malangs . This is the group that walks from Nizamuddin Aulia Delhi to Ajmer a day before the Urus starts .. iit is a very tough trek I have not done it as yet . Marc has done it several times .

Documenting the Malangs is my high I can go on shooting them , and the most interest time is during Dhamal when they display mind boggling feats , eye ball piercing etc known as Zarb..

Most of the Rafaees Qalandaris take part in the Dhamal at Makanpur headquartes of the Dam Madar Malangs .

After the Dhamal on the main day of the Urus before the Malangs go to pay their tribute to the Shrine of the Holy Saint Zinda Shah Madar , new Malangs are initiated in the order through a few rituals.

On the main day just outside the gates of the Holy Shrine to the beat of drums the Malangs  remove their huge turbans and open out their lon dreads over 15 to 25 feet and dance known as kaif.. to the chant of Dam Madar Beda Par.


I was told it is very difficult to shoot this ritual as the crowds are huge suffocating  surroundings but I managed to shoot it ..and it is terrifying people crushing you stamping your feet but it is worth it.

If as a people photographer I was given a priority I would shoot the Zinda Shah Madar Urus and the Kumbh Mela ..I shot the Maha Kumbh living with the Naga Sadhus ..and taking a dip with the Naga Sadhus in the Sangam on Basant Panchami.

I dont have the resources  nor a sponsor and at times it is very tough , financial constrains ,I dont sell my pictures so all this is documented for those who are ardent soul searching peace seeking photographers like me.

This is a territory you should know some people , or be a Malang like me.

This is my favorite set at Flickr over 2300 images ..and excitement and adventure.

He Finally Got Freedom From The Satraps Of Uttar Pradesh

north indian muslim of uttar pradesh
caught in a vortex of deceit between
two parties such was his fate ..he voted
considering them gods but he was used
by their devious machinations hook line
sinker and bait ..trampled sometimes
under the dead weight of an elephant
or taken for a ride on a cycle ..he got
akkal very late now perhaps he has
attained freedom from dire straits
one nation one country beyond
caste color creed or state ..

acche din ane wale hain..he dreams
of peace hope harmony ..he waits

We Indians Are Born Dreamers Shot by Nerjis Asif Shakir 2 Year Old

through our votes
dreams we purchase
from dream merchants
long distant happiness
we gladly hope to embrace
we are confident but also
fools on the surface
sometimes taken for a ride
left on the sidewalk. without
trace all in all it is part of our
DNA ..that dreams we chase
acche din anewala hain  ab ki
bar ya agli bar just in case

a picture shot by a two year old
child - man his shortcomings his
fall from grace caught in a frame
within a frame street photography
is not just shooting a picture ..but
reliving a moment in your cosmic
mind before you aim god created
a situation made sure you came
on the soul of humanity to lay
your claim inscribe your name

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

Dargah Hazrat Abbas Lucknow

Situated in Rustam Nagar in the old city, Dargah Hazrat Abbas is the oldest shrine of the Shia Muslims in Lucknow.
In Iraq, on 10th of Muharrum 61 Hijri (680), when Imam Hussain was forced to camp on the banks of river Eupharates (Faraat) at Karbala, there was not a drop of water in the encampment as the enemy (Yazid's army) had banned the fetching of water from the river since 7th of Muharrum. Hazrat Abbas, the step-brother of Imam Hussain, sought the Imam's permission to fetch water for the thirsty children in their camp. To restrain Abbas from provocation, he was asked to take the alam [a standard with a metal crest crowning the flag] in one hand and the mashkeeza (camel-leather water-bag) in the other. He was thus left with no defence when attacked by the enemy. His mashkeeza was pierced with arrows and his hands were chopped off as he tried to reach the water to the camp. For Shias, the martyrdom of Hazrat Abbas has special significance.
The dargah (shrine) of Hazrat Abbas came into existence during the reign of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah (1775-1797). A poor man, Mirza Faqeera Beg, was visited by Hazrat Abbas in his dream and directed to dig out his alam from a specific location in the city. Faqeera went to the site the next morning and discovered a large bronze alam in the shape of a hand (five fingers and a palm). He placed it reverently in his house in Rustam Nagar. Soon the news of the miraculous discovery spread and people started visiting his place with offerings and prayers for the fulfilment of their wishes. Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah also visited the place and ordered that a dome be erected over the place, in order to convert it to a dargah (shrine).


People from different localities began assembling in the dargah with alams on 7,h of Muharrum [a day which is particularly specified by Shias for honouring Hazrat Abbas]. Later on, the first Thursday after the sighting of moon, called the Nauchandi Jummeraatwas considered auspicious for visiting the shrine and a large number of devotees crowded the dargah on this day. When Asaf-ud Daulah's step-brother Nawab Saadat Ali Khan, was unexpectedly made the ruler of Awadh by the British, after the deportation of the former's son Wazir Ali in January 1798, after a short term of just four months, Saadat Ali Khan got the dome of the dargah gilded in gold. He also built two separate enclosures for male and female visitors to the shrine.
His son, Ghazi-ud-din Haider, who was crowned the first King of Awadh in October 1819, provided a Naubat Khana for the entrance to the dargah in the form of a double storeyed gateway. Naqqara (large drums) were sounded from the gallery on the upper storey of this gateway to inform the hour of the day as well as for ceremoniously greeting members and guests of the royal household on their visit to the shrine. The King also provided the inner sanctum of the shrine where the iconic alam was preserved, with silver foiled doors. He made the further provision of a mimbar (pulpit) fashioned in silver.
Malka Zamani, the favourite queen of Naseer-ud-Din Haider, the second King of Awadh (1827-1837), set up a kitchen at the shrine for free distribution of food to the poor. She visited the dargah on every nauchandi jummeraat with an offering of ten thousand rupees. People on the streets waited eagerly to have a glimpse of her entourage, a procession consisting of a hundred elephants with silver howdah (mounted seat) and gold embellishments. It had a number of palanquins and oxen driven carriages for the accompanying ladies. The queen sat in a large sukhpal (decorated carriage) covered with a brocade silk canopy.


The dargah is also linked with the first Indian war of Independence. In 1858 it became the headquarters of the native sepoys and soldiers in the city who were in rebellion against the British. A leader of the freedom struggle in 1857-58 and one of the chief commanders of Begum Hazrat Mahal's forces, Shah Ahmadullah camped here before leaving for Bareilly. Captured by deceit through the Raja of Pawaian (a State near Shahjahanpur), he was killed in front of the fort at Pawaian by the Raja's brother who was rewarded by the British.
After the rebellion failed, British soldiers plundered Nawabi buildings and the dargah too was not spared. The gold in the dome and alam was removed by the plunderers. Much of the decorative valuables placed in the shrine were taken away and auctioned by the British along with the valuables of Wajid Ali Shah.

Source:
Hindustan Times, City Scan, A Time in History
Wednesday 23.7.1997 — Dargah Hazrat Abbas: A revered shrine

lucknow.me/Dargah-of-Hazrat-Abbas.html