I Have Been Documenting Ajmer Sharif Since 2005

This was shot at Hujra No 6 with my Mentor Peersab Fakhru Miya , he gave me an insight into the Chishtiya Order and I have documented the annual celebrations known as Urus  since 2005 .

Fakru Miya is dressed in white the person in brown is a devotee of Saint Moinuddin Chishti also known as Garib Nawaz..this person sells gemstones with his wife and I have shot him at Hussain Tekri Jaorah too.

Peersab Fakhru Miya has two sons Farid Miya and Qambar Miya .

I stay at Peersabs house and he is hospitable an excellent host , It was Ajmer that in 2011 I became a Malang of the Order of Madariya also known as Dam Madar Malangs .

Here at Ajmer initially I documented the Dargah till they banned  photography so I only shoot Chatti at Hujra no 6 ,.

I shot the Sufi rifais Malangs and the Hijra shamans at Jalali Chowk 16 Khamba.

I shot the beggars of Ajmer extensively and I shot Taragadh and Pushkar .. I have a deep connection with the Brahma Mandir ..as the daggers I use to cut my head every Moharam are from Pushkar .

I used to shoot document the Hijras or transgender that came to Ajmer ,, great devotees of the Holy Saint , and they serve him his followers offering free food and donations to the poor.

And I shot the rare hijra beauties shot them dancing on the streets of Ajmer at the sandal and even shot their day to day daily chores at Ajmer .

I have the largest collection of Hijra images shot in Ajmer ..Taragadh and Pushkar too.

Sadly I have removed this rare collection from public view because the large number of Hijra picture stealers are at Flickr ,,,they robbed my Hijra pictures and robbed their identities using their pictures in prostitution rings online ,,

This was the last straw I decided to disable this documentary from public ,, completely .

I Am The Hunter And The Hunted ..An Instrument of Peace Badly Blunted

God You Created Me As A Girl I Kept Quiet

now i am a mother begging
in the jungle of life it does
not seem right ,,you created
humanity you created chaos
you created them black and
white ,, you blessed some
with your divine light god
i give up i have already lost
the fight my husband his family
will beat me up if i dont bring
in alms my wounds hidden
from humanly sight within
the hijab i carry the pain
of soon giving birth to
another child ,, yes god
hear me out ,,dont ignore
me ..i am really uptight

Why Do You Shoot Pictures Of Us Beggars ,,

I told her I was a beggar too
I beg with my camera giving
beggars their respect and due
I told her I dont sell beggar pictures
I dont wear shoes ..I dont booze
I am a free man I have nothing to
lose .I wont shoot to please others
I refuse ,my pictures are blogs they
wont be seen on rags or make news
my pictures are storyboards of my
spiritual quest poeticizing my views
why i shoot what i shoot whether you
like it or dont like it ..it matters not plaster
your adverse comments somewhere else
please excuse ..yes i can sometimes be
painfully obtuse ..to shoot what my soul
desired I shoot its my choice not yours
i am sure you have deduced ,..Islam for me
is Peace And Brotherhood but those who
cut innocent peoples heads rape shoot
I am not part of that Islam a volley of abuse
on those motherfuckers I let loose ,,

you add me at your risk,,, your religion is not my problem whether you are agnostic atheist hindu muslim or jew
i am a shia born . call me a heretic rafidi. you choose

In 2009 I Was This Close To The Elephant That Carries The Bibi Ka Alam

This time in 2014 I found the Hyderabadi top cops with the cortege of the Bibi Ka Alam highly offensive  rude curt and I was shocked as I have the highest respect for them , I found earlier the Hyderabadi cops were polite and respectful and I was wearing my Press Card with a wound on my head so this attitude was uncalled for I did complain about this to their senior ,, we come from Mumbai not just to shoot Moharam but your adab tehzeeb culture and because we have shot it others like my American and French friend had come to Hyderabad to shoot the same .

We through our camera capture Hindu Muslim amity in Hyderabad during the journey of the Bibi Ka Alam and we dont do it for money ,, certainly not ,,

And strangely I was with Sajjad Bhai a Hyderabadi cop dressed in black clothes  , and because of him I have been able to capture the Bibi Ka Alam upclose since 2003 .

This time I could not get close to the elephant though  Abid Paiinter sitting on the elephant , he does know of  my presence is my oldest dearest friend in Hyderabad and a caretaker of Azakhane Zehra.

So these are some old memories I think I will now move out of my Moharam in Hyderabad ambit ,,,time to move on to other cities , new places new faces .

I am still undecided about Chehlum..

But Id rather stay at home than shoot Chehlum in Mumbai..

I did that last year ..

Behind The Soul Of Simplicity Lies A Smiling Face Of A Model

stop tickling my ear he said
she went on grinning instead
her smile selling a toothpaste
she was robust well fed ,,
a pretty face  lovely skin
through modelling she
earned her bread ..she
used her body she used
her head ..a radiance
redefining her beauty
she looked ahead ..

i whispered in her ears
my twitter friend sriram was
looking for a bride he could
wed she jumped with joy
her face turned red ..
she asked me whether
he was good in bed ..
i told her before he finishes
she would be dead
he does not trust Indian
condoms they easily shred
if only the manufacturers
could use a screw thread
those who screw wont
be mislead ..my friend
srirram potent erudite
well read ..a well settled
job of a department head
single loves to mingle
eats bananas and garlic bread
but was cynical about the
marriage bed cylindrical thrust
of a poetic thread ..after hearing
my eulogy stealthily she fled

I Shoot Dreams Etched In Reality And Blood

droplets that kiss the mud
on the soul of humanity
causing a flood undying
protest rising from the dust
bleed we must in god we
trust ..he quenches our
thirst..we wont corrode
we wont rust ..lanats
on the followers of
yazid accursed ..