Scissor Hand Poor Street Barbers of Bandra

Novena Of Our Lady Of Velankani Bandra Bazar Road

Hindu Jagran Manch Please Remove My Picture From Your Post

Hindu Jagran Manch have used my picture in their post without my permission,. http://www.hindujagruti.org/campaigns/obey-high-court-order-impose-ban-on-offering-namaz-at-public-places#petition … @ShelarAshish

reply to a comment on my post at Facebook

They have used it for their agenda of stopping the namaz on the roads I did not shoot it for that purpose I dont politicize religion,, they have an issue they should ask their photographer to shoot it ,, you cant take my picture mention my name without taking my permission perhaps you dont know the basic ethics of blogging etiquette I have nothing against their agenda or their petition it is a free country all I know the namaz outside the Bandra Station on eid has been performed since ages ,, with due permission from the police and the concerned authorities ,,I dont want my picture on their website ,, simple .

The Naga Sadhu Procession To Neel Parbhat Trimbakeshwar

This was perhaps the most strenuous , tiring shoot I was barefeet and limping with an injured foot I had walked over 4 km with this procession .. I had to keep pace with them and the most difficult part was not the Naga Sadhus but the cops deliberately pushing us away , and most of them were cadets cops from rural areas they just did not know how to take command , most of them were in awe of their new surroundings .,.but all in all this was a great shoot and from here the procession of the Naga sadhus moved to Neel Parbhat , the Nagas than took a dip in a small pond and the event came to a close ,, I trudged my way back I had neither eaten nor drunk water ,,, as I started walking back to Trimbakeshwar bus depot there was another huge procession of the Udasin and Khalsa Akhara coming towards the temple town so the bus service had been halted I shot this procession too and walked back to my Naga camp another 3 km away ,,,

Luckily one of my Naga Gurus deaf mute disciple cleaned my wound and massaged my tired legs ,,,I realized I was an old man and had lost my adventurous spirit but I shot thousands of images .. as is where is I delete nothing those are my efforts soaked in my blood sweat and tears ,,,

My Nasik Kumbh Mela 2015 Set At Flickr

photo shot by Ajay Rawat at Nasikh Kumbh 2015

Flickr Nasik Kumbh Mela Set 

The Naga Sadhu Procession To Neel Parbhat Trimbakeshwar

This was the most strenuous shoot much before the Shahi Snan , I followed the Naga Sadhu procession barefeet on an injured leg.. and I was thankful to have the company of my Facebook friend  CS Shelare ..I shot this procession till the end at Neel Parbhat ,,

Walking back tired and in real bad shape near the Trimbakeshwar Bus Depot I met another Udasin Akhara procession , the buses too had been halted because of this new procession so I decided to shoot it too.

The World of Sadhus Trimbakeshwar

Perhaps because I was wearing Sadhu garbs while documenting the Nasikh Kumbh 2015 and perhaps because I looked more like a mystic than the mystics I shot ,,I got access to the inner being of my photography subjects ,, my camera did not bother them at all .

And as  I was staying in a Naga Sadhu camp , made a big difference too I could walk into any tent ,, I also shot the camp of Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Dwarkapeeth Swami Swaroop Anandji..

Neither was I hassled by cops I spoke Marathi and they were extremely polite I always had a Press Card round my neck  just in case ,,though I knew the Maharashtrian police cadre could not be as insensitive as the Malwani cops ,,

I was not very adventurous this Kumbh as I was at the Maha Kumbh Allahabad , that had a huge Juna Akhara at Sector 4  .. here the Juna Akhara was on Brahmagiri a long steep walk of 2.5 hours and Neel Parbhat ,, I had shot the latter ,,

My Tantric Guru Kapoor Khamakhya was at the Kumbh but we could not meet , he is the most powerfully connected Sadhu of the Yoni Order ,, this was one regret ,, I did not meet my French photographer friend Laurent Salesse .

This being my third Kumbh I did not face many hurdles and hopefully if things settle my end I might just go back.. all depends .. on the guy at the top.. Neeli Chatriwale ..