Chehlum In Lucknow 2014 - My Kama Matam

I reached Lucknow on 13 December and was staying at my inlaws house at Nakhas.

It is from Nakhas NizamSabs Imambada the juloos or procession begins after a majlis by Maulana Kalbe Jawad Sab.

I was going to cut my head with two daggers one long and the other a short hunters precision knife.

The pictures of my Kama matam was shot by Guddu , Saeed Hussain my relative ..he has been shooting my kama matam every time in Moharam in Lucknow .

This was my second Chehlum in Lucknow and I had a serious leg injury from Mumbai, so I had bandaged my leg..I was barefeet in the winter chill .

The procession moves from Nakhas to Talkatora Karbals about  8 km.. On the way a Hindu high priest from a Hanuman Temple came and spoke kind words asked me if I needed water or something and this is the beauty of our beloved Motherland ,, as humans we are all equal and part of the diverse branches of the same tree.

I cut my head thrice  , and doing my Kama Matam with Baney Bhais Anjuman was gratifying as he warned others not to hold my arms and le me cut myself freely bu only with one dagger .. later on my mother in laws instructions Guddu took away both my daggers and left it with her ,, as I moved on with the procession.

It was a long route and the winter chill , later on my return  I took a cycle ricksha home as the entire stretch is closed to traffic .

My head has already healed ..


Tareekh dey rahi hai yeh awaaz dam ba dam
Dasht-e-sabat-o-Azm hai Dast-e-Bala-o-Gam
Sabr-e-Maseeh wa juraa't suqrat ki qasam

Is rah mea hai sirf ek insaan ka qadam
          Jis kee rago'n mein Aatish-e-Badr-o-Hunain Hai
          Us soorma ka isme girami Hussain Hai


Jo Saheb-e-Mizaj-e-Naboowat tha wo Hussain
Jo waris-e-zameer-e-Risalat tha wo Hussain
Jo Khalwati-e-Shahid-e-Qudrat tha wo Hussain
Jis kaa wojood fakhr-e-mashiat tha wo Hussain
          Sanchay main dhalney key liye Kainaat ko
          Jo tolta tha Nok-e-Mazaa' par hayat ko

Jo Ek nishan-e-Tashna dhani tha wo Hussain
Geeti pey Arsh kee jo nishani tha wo Hussain
Jo Khuld ka Ameer-e-Jawani tha wo Hussain
Jo Ek san-e-jadeed ka bani tha wo Hussain
          Jis ka Lahu Talatum-e-pinhaa'n liye huway
          Har boond mein tha Nooh ka Toofan liye huway


Jo Karwan-e-Azm ka Rehbar tha wo Hussain
Khud Apney khoon kaa jo shanawar tha wo Hussain
Ek Deen-e-Tazaa ka jo payambar tha wo Hussain
Jo Karbala ka dawar-e-Mehshar tha wo Hussain
          Jis kee nazar pey Shewa-e-Haq ka madar tha
          Jo Rooh-e-Inqilab ka parwardigar tha

Ha'n ab bhi jo manara-e-Azmat Hai wo Hussain
Jis kee nigah marg-e-Adawat Hai wo Hussain
Ab bhi jo Mehwa-e-Dars-e-Mohabbat Hai wo Hussain
Aadam kee jo daleel-e-Sharafat hai wo Hussain
          Wahid jo ek namoona hai zibh-e-Azeem Ka
          Allah rey intekhab Khuda-e-Hakeem ka

Ha'n wo Hussain Jis kaa abad Aashna Sabat
Kehta Hai Gaah Gaah Hakeemoo sey bhi yeh baat
Yaney duroon-e-pardaa-e-Sad Rang-e-Kainaat
Ek Karsaz Zehn hai, Ek zee Shaoor zaat
          Sijdoo'n sey khainchta hai jo masjood kee taraf
          Tanhaa jo ek ishara hai maabood kee taraf


Taaqat see shaei ko khaak mein jis ney mila diya
Taqtaa Ullatt key qasr-e-huqoomat ko dha diya
Jis ney hawa mein ruab-e-Imarat Urhaa diya
Thokar sey jis ney afsar-e-Shahi Gira diya
          Is tarha jis sey Zulm Siyah Faam ho gaya
          Lafz-e-yazeed dakhil-e-Dushnam ho gaya


Pani sey teen roz huway jis key lab na tar
Teg-o-Tabr ko sompp diya jis ney ghar ka ghar
Jo mar gaya Zameer kee Izzat key nam par
Zilaat key Aastaan pey Jukaya magar na sar
          Lee jis ney saans rishtey-e-Shahi ko Tor kar
          Jis ney Kalai maut kee rakh dee maroar kar


Har chand ahl-e-joer ney chaha yeh barhaa
Ho jaey mehaw yaad-e-Shaheedaan-e-Karbala
Baqi rahey na naam zameen par Hussain kaa
Laikin Kisi ka zoar Azizo Na Chal saka
          Abbas-e-Namwar key lahu sey dhula huwa
          Ab bhi Hussainiat ka alam hai khula huwa


Yeh subh-e-Inqilab kee jo aaj kal hai zoe
Yeh jo machal rahi hai Saba, Phatt rahi hai poe
Yeh jo Chirag-e-Zulm kee tharaa rahi hai loe
Dar parda yeh Hussain kee Anfaas kee hai roe
          Haq key Chiray huway hain jo yeh Saaz Dosto
          Yeh bhi isee jari kee hai Awaaz Dosto


SIXTAINS SELECTED FROM MARSIA OF JOSH MALIHABA'DI

www.ya-hussain.com/poetry/sixtains.htm

I Will Be Off Flickr For A Few Days ,,, Shooting Chehlum

She is the most fragile beggar doll of ajmer ,,she is reliving a nightmare short petite a scarf covering her scanty hair , arched knees what a pair ,,her god has gone AWOL ,, leaving her on a wheelchair .. mind you she is a woman fighting her demons held captive in his snare ..a doll that time tried could not repair , i shot her , her pain with you i share ...she is gasping for breath some fresh air ,,women need to be empowered to overcome remorse and despair ,, a puppet in the hands of professional beggars they earn from her misery ,, but fuck who cares ,,

“No place to come to, and you’ll end where you are, Deep in the centre of the endless maze” — Edwin Muir

poor kids are wondering if they too will end up as beggars too, our municipal education sucks ,,a farce played without heart without dedication..like our cleanliness drive ,, we want to clean our surroundings but not our inner corrupt self,,, and sadly corruption resides deep in the heart soul of the common Indian..he encouraged it pushed and promoted it .. there is dirtiness ugliness in corruption in every walk of life ,, you have to give something to get something.. politics religion bureaucracy police every section of society has been infiltrated by corruption.even education.. RIP.. Cleanliness .


photography is not just shooting pictures it is aligning mind to matter

1400 Bad Phir Yazid Jag Utha

Yeh shor E giryaa
Yeh shor E Matam,
Uska Dam Ghuta
Matam e Hussain
Band Karne Ke Liye
Dil Se Woh Juta

Abbas Bhi Jag Utha

He Asked Me Heaven Or Hell

I told him I was an Amphibian I could live in both the place at the same time ..my father mother conspired i was the by product of that crime ,, held by my balls in space and time ,,verse and rhyme ..

Hey God I Am Your Urban Clown

now dont get upset
smirk and frown
even when you beat
me hard i dont slit
my wrists or think of
ways to drown
your world hopefully
one day i will renounce
no bare necessities not
a single ounce i will go live
like a fakir in the mountains
 this i solemnly  I announce
to your world come what
may i wont ever bounce
fuck hypocritical humanity
apocalypse now..from your
stage of revolving mirrors
i finally take a bow .. no kids
no grandkids no not even my frau
no more milking the consumer cow


a poem to me on my birthday
my world abrupt upside down

You Have To Be Sure What You Want To Shoot And Why You Want To Shoot

When I first came here in 2004 I was not allowed to shoot , Noubat Ali Baba flatly refused to be photographed I told him I was documenting the Rifai Silsila did not impress him in the least than I told him I was a Maulaiee a follower of Ali he smiled but allowed me to shoot around the Chowk .

It took me several years before I pulled him into my cosmic frame I also presented him rare agate rocks tied as a necklace when he came to know I stayed with Peersab Fkru Miya Hujra no  he became more congenial..but I stood at the edge ask him to bless me because I was going through terrible times fighting my demons .

Than in 2011 I joined the Order of Dam Madar Malangs as I liked their frugality simplicity and their austere spirituality and I began documenting the Madarriya Order of Zind Shah Madar...being very close to the Head Masoomi Baba and Syed Rafiq Ali Baba .

I went to the Urus of  Zinda Shah Madar in 2013 at Makanpur , this year I hope to make it again, I have told Rafiq Baba of my request.

Documenting Makanpur is tough , but worth the effort .. it is one of the most crowded Holy Shrines in Uttar Pradesh.

I also want to document the Sada Suhagins but sadly in India we dont have sponsors who will financially support us , nor is there any interest in this form of austere Sufism.

And my photography is not to earn big bucks I spend from my pocket and I have nobody dictating to me what to shoot what not to shoot .

Photography must have a purpose or it is mere adding fuel to self conceit , my is better than yours ..

And you have to gain the trust of the people you shoot much tougher than being Eaten Alive by an Anaconda .

This is a window of my world with shut doors I try open it out a bit so you can see it I dont proselytize or promote any religion or faith simply  the diverse culture of my Mystical Motherland.

I heal through pictures .. yes I heal myself taking pictures ,, from within and without.