The World of The Humble Ear Cleaners of Mumbai

A Tribute To The Ear Cleaners Of Bandra By Laurent Salisse

Laurent Salisse is a French photographer I first met accidentally when he came to shoot Ashura in Lucknow Moharam..in 2007 .

We shot the Tazias and the juloos and he shot my scourged back and my head that I had cut with a dagger the night before ,, I took him to my inlaws house at Nakhas ,and he shot the House Imambada and met my mother in law too.

Cut to post the bomb blast in Mumbai we met at Leopold ,, I took him to my mothers house at Strand Cinema and he shot the Colaba Causeway ..2009 .

Than we met again by chance on the banks of the Ganges on the day of the Shahi Snan Basant Panchami Allahabad 2013 ..

But in 2015 he decided to come to visit me in Mumbai ,,and we shot some street scenes together ,,,he shot the Nasik Kumbh too .

Than he called me from France he wanted to shoot the Malangs at Makhanpur 2016  and we again met at Makhanpur ,, it was a brave shoot , Laurent shoots with a backdrop and medium format ,, I collected most of the Malangs and he had a whale of a time shooting their portraits ,, for me it was a learning I shot too.. and shooting with Laurent is a lifetime experience ,, he is cool not demanding and highly respectful of local traditions customs he wore black and a head scarf so everyone thought he is  Malang too..

The Malangs loved him and would go out of their way too see he was comfortable ,,

This  time he called me again he wanted to shoot the Khamakhya Temple festival and I fell for it line hook and sinker I somehow booked my train tickets ..now I am waiting  for Laurent to get his airtickets if not I will go alone ,, I did try to connect with my Naga Guru because I may not be able to afford hotel accommodation I dont have that kind of budget and this is my self sponsored trip..

I dont have any friends in Assam close to the Tenple but I think the Goddess wants me to come ,, and I will go surely ,,

I leave in another week and will return by the end of the month ,,if my Naga Guru was going I would have had no problem of lodging or boarding as I would stay with the Nagas .

But I leave it to God ,,

And this post is also my humble tribute to Laurent and the ear cleaners of Bandra Talao ,,,I am documenting the life and times of the ear cleaners of Mumbai..

My picture with the earcleaner Nabi was shot by Laurent

earcleaner

The Siddis Lost African Tribe Of India 1

The Mystic Nabi Ear Cleaner And The Old Monk

Appu My Friend Who Begs No Hands No Legs

Appu My Friend Who Begs No Hands No Legs

It has been over 4 years now I have not seen Appu ,, every time I pass those places where he used to beg at St Michael Church lane or outside Minara Masjid I crane my neck out from the bus or taxi to see if he is there ,,, but sadly I never saw him again .

The first time I met him begging at Chor Bazar close to Bohri Mohalla on Fridays ,, flea market days ,, but though I stopped going to Chorbazar I did go there to check him out ,,, no luck,

Appu was my close friend and was a migrant from Assam.. I miss him.. he was a good sincere man.. he never complained ,..he took his sufferings in his stride ,,

And tonight I have created a video on You Tube of his images as my humble tribute to his memories ,, it is being processed and it is also a tribute to my first granddaughter Marziya Shakir 23 month old who met him at Mahim.. she shot him with her cosmic eye , like me she too remembers him and tells me that she will shoot him.
Marziya is now 8 year old ..

My Red Indian Muse A Love That Needs No Excuse

She is red I am urban brown
Perhaps standing next to her
I do look like a clumsy clown
But she is on a visit to our town
In her Warrior dress she hates
Wearing western gowns ..she
Gave a glaring look and a frown
As the photographer clicked us
Together man and wife he did
Not pronounce or by my only wife
My three kids as polygamist I would
Have been denounced ..but love is
Love what goes up must come down
Cupids arrow aimed at the Venus of
Her Mound accidentally hit me by
Default on the rebound ...a beggar poet
Besotted like Prometheus bound


Love lost and found ...