My Earliest Tryst With Primary Education I Owe To Mrs Akthar Kashmiri

My memory is not very good its been over 55 years or more ..we lived as tenants at Khatau Bhuvan , a palatial house of doyen of Indian cinema late Nawab Kashmiri , he had passed away and his mother in law Ammi daughter in law of the second son of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Lucknow was in charge of the place along with his kids Akhtar Baji Anwar Bhaiya and Munawar Kashmiri whom we called Manu Bhaiyya ,, Man Bhaiya was a chubby kid almost like Mr Rishi Kapoor in Mera Nam Joker ,, but the most mischievous was Anwar Bhaiyya he is no more he died in Australia ,, Anwar Bhaiyya used to wear masks paint his face and would scare the shit off my paternal grandmother Khurshed Baji who lived with us ,, the moment my grandmother saw Anwar Bhaiyya she hid herself in the bathroom.. but he was a fun loving prankster ,,,

Akthar Baji was a diva and there were two divas at Khatau Bhuvan Akthar Baji and Gwendolyn Kanga wife of Dossa Kanga Parsi father of late Keith Kanga of Atomic Forest fame ,, the building was divided in two parts , the Modis Dalals stayed at our end , while the Kangas Barias and late Vimal Patacharige stayed on the other end ,with the family of Dr Pavri as neighbors ,, Dr Pavri married the daughter of Mr Dalal so they had a huge house at both ends .

Mr Modi on our side was a hunter and shot tigers , that were kept to dry in our compound ,,,they moved away to Pune I think.

But this is the background , my dad was a tailor master and before he came to Wodehouse Road lived in the filthiest slums next to a crematorium at Kurla I believe I was a year old my mom was 14 or 15 ,, I was born in Lucknow .

And Ammi gave my dad a room in the servants quarters facing the military quarter , we shared a common toilet with Keith Kangas servant quarter my childhood friend along with Vimal and Naval Baria ,, it was Granna Kieth's grand ma a Jehovah witness who would rebuke us infidels but that is another story ,, some other time .

My father through a Memon friend enrolled me at a school at Crawford Market , I ran away the first day of school.. I dont know how my dad found me , he told me no studies I will put him in the tailoring trade .. my dad worked at N Swamy Rao.. the most famous tailoring establishment , and Salim Khan Fitwell s father and my father worked as coat makers ,, Salim Bhais father saw rapid success , my dads success came much later

Akthar Baji was very fond of me and like a much prettier Aunt Peggoty took me under her charge , she got me enrolled at Private European School , a Methodist John The Baptists school..opp Usha Sadan.. and Irani wafer shop called Kwality I think..

The fees were very steep and this was an elitist private school junior level..and every class had two levels ,, The Principal was a strict disciplinarian Mrs E Lester her sisters Miss June and Miss Marjorie they stayed close to Hampton Court ..Jadhavji Mansion I think ,

I dont think my father a coatmaker could afford the fees Rs 50 those days and I think Akthar Baji paid for my education.. without letting my dad know , and Akthar Baji and my mom Shamim and another lady Rajjo Baji from Bhendi Bazar were best of friends .

I had great moments at Private European School my best friend was the cobbler who sat outside the school, he like me a lot ,and would call me and offer me wafers sweets ..I dont recollect his name .

My friends were Jimmy Nanavati , Tanaz Nanavati children of jailed Rear Admiral Nanavati the Ahuja Murder Case .

Priya and Laila Kurivilla their mother would share heer childrens food with me the most generous lady I have ever met in my entire life ,,she taught me at my next school Holy Name High School.

Than there was Sheba Eapens from Hampton Court , Sens and the famous Ghouse brothers from Dhanashtra .. Ilyas and I shared the same bench.

There was Roy Daniels from Marine Drive his mother sent him Bombelli sandwiches that he shared with me .
There were the Ruias Madhu Sudhir Geeta rich folks and Goverdhan Dhoot fro Oceanic ,, Marine Drive ,,

And Indira Khare from Pallonji Mansions .. as the school was till the 4 Std I had to leave and Akthar Baji took charge again , this time she enrolled me at Holy Name High School as there was no place in 4 Std Fr Fx Frenandes Bozo told Akthar Baji to let me study in the third standard and if I did well he give me a double promotion ,, I did well but Fr Bozo did not keep his word and than finally from fourth I was packed off to the Sixth class ..

And I was too good in my studies as there was one room in Akthar Bajis house that stocked old new ancient literature and Akthar Baji would help me recite Lochinvar .. and at a young age instilled the love of books
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After The Kashmiris sold their house my dad refused to move out so the new landlord sent us to stay for a few months at Neelam Breach Candy and my dad finally bought a house 3 Mohini Mansions at Strand Cinema
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Akthar Baji left India got setlled married in Pakistan.. Anwar Bhaiyya Australie and Manu Bhaiyya at North Bombay Society Juhu.

I am connected to Manu Baiyya cosmically ,,,and this is my humble tribute to a noble brave lady Akthar Baji ,, a diva of her time friend of Dilip Kumars Family , Begum Akthar , Johnny Walker , Mukri Sohrab Modi Jayant Sab.. and all football buffs .all .contemporaries of her dad a Legend Called Nawab Kashmiri...

The Beef Butcher Who Became A Chaiwala

Dear Advocate Ashish Shelar Ji .. After The Bhumi Pujan They Have Again Dirtied The Place

Much of the mess is caused by the chicken trucks that have in the past smashed the garbage , today while shooting this the chicken truck laborers tried to intimidate me I think what is really needed is a security guard and a CC TV to nab the serial garbage throwers ..on the left side are handcarts and ragpickers drink openly thanks to the only hooch bar  opposite the dump.
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Drugaddicts have made this their adda and in good faith Bandra Municipality is hell bent on destroying Bandra Bazar Road,, I know you are sincere in your efforts but I have sent a video to Mr Sonia Gandhiji to show her how the Congress corporator has done nothing for this area .. he does not seem to be interested at all,..But as your party is part of Progress and Development of Bandra Bazar Road where you live to does need your personal attention .. I have stopped tagging Ms Poonam Mahajan ji she is not interested in responding to my tweets ..and I think I made a big mistake voting for her in Lok Sabha elections ,,as a senior citizen and not a eunuch I thus voice my concern in the area where I live too..And obviously for her Worli is more important than Bandra Bazar Road and other Bandra areas slum pockets gone to seed ..
After one year I dont see much change in your government ,, It looks like you are all the other side of the same coin,,,

Forgive me but I back what I say with proof pictures and videos I have no ulterior motive I belong to no political party , but I am a Bandraite and I feel the pain..

I have been documenting you life your social activities your clean image , you sincerity honesty and your love for humanity .. I think you should Ashisji put a serious thought to it make Bandra Bazar Road a perfect peaceful place and a role model for other suburban areas ..

Sadly Mr Chimpu Kapoor does not live in our areas his tweets would have added strength to our belief ..

And you are the only celebrity in our area ,,we have no Salman Khan or Sharukh Khan ..and honestly who will ever come to live here ..outside your Friend Office at Bandra Reclamation is another horrible garbage site and shanties that have mushroomed on the lane that leads to your office ,,,I  see it with my camera but I am sure you see it too ,, And if our CM Mr Davendar Fadnavis visits your house will he not see it too,, please give a serious though we wont you for more than 5 years..

And one day when you do become our CM I am sure you will read the writings on my wall as a concerned resident of Bandra Bazar Road

Thanks
Firoze Shakir

The Tadgola Wala of Boran Road

The Sufi Hawker

He is a hawker , earns his bread through the sweat of his brow , he is a very simple man sells his wares sitting besides Hindu hawkers and they all respect him, he is low profile , polite courteous ,,He likes me a lot and will offer me tea and now while I am posting this here I hope to take his video.. find out more about his life ,, he is a Chishtiya follower of Holy Saint  Moinuddin Chisti Kwajah Garib Nawaz ..

I have never asked his name I avoid asking personal questions I shoot pictures I shoot faces , faces that maybe Muslim Hindu but are all faces of India ,, I shoot India I shoot Indianness ..

And many years back when I joined Flickr as a newbie and was posting pictures of Shia Moharam Rituals I got a message  that I had not deleted after so many years  by a shit head called Innocence Now ..A Lucknow man who living in Lucknow does not know that Lucknow is first foremost the citadel of Shiasm.. perhaps he thought I was an Asshole I was born in Lucknow too

His message  28 September 2007
From:


innocencenow
Earthling On earth
Subject:

I request you with folded hands


Dear Sir,
I request you with folded hands please do not post pictures of blood. I am quite sensitive to feelings of Shias and respect them because I liked the nawabs of awadh I am myself a Lucknowite and have many shia friends but perhaps it would be better if you kept photos for viewing by your friends and acquaintances it is very likely that people who know nothing about sacrifice of Shia leaders would not understand the message that you might be trying to convey and form a bad image of Lucknow. I am sure you yourself will not like that.
I hope you will kindly consider my suggestion. I will be indebted to you for the same.


I mean I post pictures that are photo journalism, I dont glorify blood letting , I post pictures on my internet time I pay for my Flickr time and instead of finding fault with my pictures why does he not with folded hands ask his Uttar Pradesh government to improve the Old Muslim areas of Lucknow , living in ghettos , why does he not with folded hands appeal to Sunnis Shia to end sectarian strife ,,and get rid of Mayawatijis statues horrendous elephants and the misrule of the Samajwadii party the Hindu Muslim riots , the death devastation of poor pilgrims by a government that could not take care of the disasters at the Maha Kumbh..
I am sorry I was born in Lucknow but thankfully I am a hardcore Mumbaikar ..I am really happy my parents left Lucknow to start life fresh in Mumbai living in penury in a slum and than pushing their way upwards by honest work dedication..

Come to Mumbai see the plight of Bhaiyyas  Mumbai . I beg you with folded hands ,see their miserable life , and bonded in slavery as menial workers ,,

Shut the Fuck Up Innocence Now

Sometimes Death Is Preferable To Old Age

I walked to the Bazar to give 50 copies of Nerjis article in Bandra Buzz the koli ladies wanted copies , the shopkeepers and the Desi Murgiwala I dropped a copy for Rajiv Hans and to people she shoots ..But of course she mostly shoots beggars and for them it would be of no use .. I gave copies to Kalidas Provision stores ..simply because to encourage parents to nurture their kids and let their talent art grow .
While returning home I met this old destitute lady I have shot her and I give her money , the moment she takes the money in her hands she starts invoking a God who has forsaken her to give me peace wealth and happiness .. And I am confounded I tried to talk to her but she is very bad shape her voice inaudible ,,she stays near my house I guess on the streets ..I really have no idea .
She wears the same clothes and takes her a long time to move a step..but mind you she does not beg at all..and when my grandchildren come back from their vacation I will ask them to save their pocket moneys for her ..
And as a photographer who taught my grandkids photography I made sure I taught them to see human degradation human misplaced values through the lens .. this was the holistic positive part of photography.
No sunsets , no chubby kids only humanity ,,I taught them to shoot the transgender , street performers and the common man.
Some friends rebuked chided me for exposing them so early but they were my grandkids I wanted them to see the world through the bioscope of my camera ..
I made them shoot the guest photographers who came to our house made them watch observe ..I know my grandkids will never be photographers I am sure of it , but long after I am dead and gone my grandkids wont be hesitant or look confused taking a picture ..I pushed it deep into their subconsciousness .. without making them ever feel that photography was only meant for making money ,,
This is my gift to Marziya and Nerjis ,,,the shutter and aperture of my old age and existence .

Death Where Is They Sting ...

I have been highly impressed by Ello , an innovative ad free website , and it was purely by Invite , and my dear friend Photo Walk Guru Mr Thomas Hawk was a member he had given away all his invites but he posted a tweet asking any of his friends who had add an extra invite to give it to me ..So his friend Tyson Jerry kindly gave it to me ,,

And thus began my tryst with Ello ..I posted my world made friends became a hard core fan of Paul Budnitz one of the founders ..and was interviewed by @yourdailybread a guy named Jeremy ..I one day Interviewed him too

I like Ello my pictures look good on a big format and a lot of creative artists ,bloggers , are on Ello ..
All my original stuff street angst street pictures originate as photo blogs at Flickr .com I than post them as a link at Twitter 159 Tweets since 2008 .

I sometimes post a link at Google + and Tumblr..but I have a delirious premonition Google + and Tumblr will wind up very soon.. Competing with Facebook is tough and I salute Mr Vic Gundotra after Vic left Google + it has never been the same .

Mr Thomas Hawk has helped me a lot when my Shia bleeding pictures at Flickr , put me in a soup , restricted by staff he got it sorted our for me including my Flickr pro account ,,

And I have been a Flickr photographer since 2007 over 337,720 Photos 42,114,622 views since 10 June 2007 ,,Both my granddaughter have Flickr accounts and Twitter handles ,They are on Facebook I have deactivated it since a few years.

For those who send me page links ,I simply avoid them I dont use Like button on Facebook nor do I tag or poke people .

And the worst scenario here at Facebook is cyber bullying , posting hateful posts on peoples religions ,,there is more Tabarh on Facebook than even in a Shia Mosque ,,People posting pictures from the net ..Hardly anyone uses Original Content.

Facebook for me is not A Mosque , A shrine or a Temple or Synagogue ,,my religiosity is my personal affair ,,I shoot all religion .. I show respect to my cultural Inheritance and despite being a Shia Muslim majority of my friends are Hindus Christians Parsis..I have a lot of Sunni friends ..and luckily I stay away from Tablikis Ahle Hadees and Wahabbis ..

And I would rather be a Hindu than be a Salafi or a Wahhabi..
And I use Facebook as an extension of my blog ,,I dont and wont shoot Moharam in Mumbai thanks to the bigots bullys in my Shia community .

I prefer Ashura in Hyderabad and Chehlum in Lucknow ,,

I told my wife kids on oath of honor if I die I want my body to be given to Medicine I want my bodyparts , my eyes my brain my liver my heart to be given to the poor I shot ,,I am not ready to screw 72 Virgins .. in Heaven,.

For me Heaven is making heaven on Earth among the poor homeless destitute

These are my personal views ..I told my wife I dont want prayer meetings and no remembrance ,and my only death wish is to pay of a few friends who helped in my very bad times I pray that I clear their dues when Death comes to take me back.