What Toilet ... They Have Not Built Hope Yet ..

giving laptops to those who have
nothing to eat ..is indeed a great
achievement a great feat ..in a
state where riots is the name
of defeat tears on the soul
of uttar pradesh..mera goan
mera sangeet ..

kaisi har kaisi jeet ..unka pyar
meri preet ..iski ko kehete hain
rajneet..gaibi hatao means get
rid of the poor people poor dalit
become rich at all costs build
mansions beg borrow steal or cheat
caught between the devil the deep sea
a cosmic cycle of pain complete

street photography lent me words
to become a beggar poet i repeat
humility is the temple of god
hell is arrogance pride and conceit

The North Indian Of Uttar Pradesh has been cheated of his Right To Live With Dignity

conned
defrauded
driven to
despair
he votes
feudal satraps
who besides
wanting to
come to power
of his welfare dont
really care state
engineered riots
living in hell hollow
sockets as eyes
that stare ..of a
new tomorrow
he is scared
whether he is a hindu
or a muslim held
captive in divisive politics
to a corrupt system
his life ensnared
by voting for Modiji
for the first time I
think God has answered
his prayers .shell shocked
for so many years
by a raging elephant
or the cycle of destruction
caught unaware ..using
the dalit card he remains
what he is they became
multi millionaires

Its a dogs world out there

they all pass by
but fuck who cares
the human soul
breathlessly gasping
for air..what i shoot
i share..born from
the womb of sorrow
to the streets ensnared
life beg borrow steal
somewhere hope
seismically swears
loneliness ponders
wonders how god
can be everywhere
caught up in the
vortex of death
irreparable despair

Thank You Mr Thomas Smith

With due respect
your kindness
your invitation
I politely refuse
herewith  ...
Happy in India
with a new dawn
of Acche Din
Good Days
our new
democratic writ
my motherland
my hope every bit
I dont need your
permit ..I would
be a fish out of
water in Australia
my old lady my
legitimate kids
would throw a fit
my sartorial serendipity
my tailoring kit
to your kind offer
i cannot submit
but i know a lot
of people who want
to leave India so
this offer to those
disgruntled souls
you could transmit
on my part i am
happy being an Indian
do not want to be
a cosmetic Aussie
migrant American
or Brit ..

I am happy with Bandra
Dadar Mahim Juhu ..
most beautiful areas of
my poetic love closely knit

So Thank you ..Mr Thomas Smith
You asked for it ....I call it Quits

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.