Friday, January 8, 2016

Shooting the Ear Cleaners of Bandra Talao 2016

A Malang And A Rafaee ,..


Documenting the Rifai Silsila At The Urus of Fakhruddin Shah Baba Mahim 2016



 A Holy Shrine on the main road of Mahim captures the hearts souls of the people of this area ..Baba Fakruddin Shah was the associate companion and much more of Holy Saint Makhdhoom Shah Mahimi .. his importance can be gauged by the fact that during the Urus of Makhdhoom Shah Baba the first salami before placing the chaddar floral tribute is to the Holy Shrine of Fakhruddin Shah Baba .

The Urus of Fakhruddin Shah Baba Mahim is a grand affair and no stone is left unturned by his hardcore followers devotees volunteers and is a great success attended by people from all over Mumbai.

His Dargah faces the main road of Mahim and you can see his Tomb decked with flowers and floral tributes called chaddar.

Outside his tomb on the pavement nearby are vendors selling herbal medicines , gemstones and other items ,,, most of these vendors are ascetics or Bawas .

Facing the Dargah in the lane end is the Dhuni of the Rifai Silsila ,, the Chancawalli Rafaees I have been documenting since last 20 years .. the various Murshads since late Sikandar Wali Baba .

One of the most versatile dynamic and a great exponent of the art of body piercing known as Zarb is Hassan Ganda Sai my oldest friend ,,I have known him from the time when his uncle late Handi Sai was the Murshad ..

I meet most of these Rafaees at Ajmer Sharif Urus too ..

Dam Madar Malang s Urus Fakhruddin Shah Baba

Dam Madar Malang s Urus Fakhruddin Shah Baba

Dam Madar Malang s Urus Fakhruddin Shah Baba

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Once Upon A Time I Was A Beauty Queen Said The Hijra To Me



dancing swirling the hearts
doing mujra a diva i wanted
to be business men mafia don s
lavished their love and money
rich gifts that they gave me ,..
a hijra i was a hijra i always
wanted to be.. but happiness
did not last long time chiseled
by fate i have aged in captivity
i now beg at the bandra reclamation
signal living on charity ,,my hijra roots
my branches my family tree blessed
by the dada guru before he died
love he bestowed on me ,,i was
once married to a handsome guy
who loved me dearly..who died
in a road accident leaving me old
lonely ,,very thursday a visit to his
grave now an earthen memory
reciting the fatiah.. my beloved
has left me forever ..his grave
under a green mango tree

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