Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Naga Sadhus Ling Kriya

There is something of a Sadhu in me.. hence this search is not for peace of mind,, religious satisfaction.. yes I have it all.
I try to understand man and his mind.. his pain, and all.
I was at the Nasik Kumbh at Trimbakeshwar.. where all the Naga Sadhus staunch believers of Lord Shiva congregate,, for the Holy Dip known as the Shahi Snan..the dip is in the order of hierarchy..among the various Akhadas.. I was lucky to meet
Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of the Junagadh Akhada.. a teacher and family man turned Sadhu.. incidentaly an artist who used to eke his living drawing holy pictures on the streets,,
One day near the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai… he made some images of the Holy city of Meccah..in the evening a man gave him rs 200 and told him not to draw such images as people walk on them,,, to do the same on walls.. , he was so touched that
he stopped this art totally..

I too am touched.. his photo of the Ling Kriya is my tribute to him and his love for man…mankind and he had seen me at the Film City where he has his Shanti Ashram , and recognized me as Designer No1 from Bollywood.

www.photographerno1.com

January 2nd, 2007

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Naga Sadhus ABOVE 18

I was at the Nasik Kumbh . living among the Naga Sadhus ,I took diksha of love and brotherhood from Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhada , we are great friends , he is not in this picture , he is an immensely all religion loving guy
I was actually in the process of buildng a Kumbh Mela site at Bloggerspot but coming here to Flickrs I left that half way as I have no time .
Ths picture is from my Yahoo Photo lot...

The Naga Sadhus at Trimbakeshwar ABOVE18

This is for adult viewing..
I met the Naga Sadhus in 2004 Nasik Kumbh..
It was my destiny to meet my Naga Guru second from left Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Junagadh Akhada.
I met him by accident when instead of ending my bus ride at Mr Kg Maheshwaris numismatic museum where I was to stay to shoot the Kumbh, I fell asleep and landed 9 km away from my destination at the Sadhu sevagram.
I siad to myself, lets take a few pictures, the rest is history , Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj stays at Mumbai Film City he had seen me there at the studios , we became friends .. we still are soul mates connected by a composite culture..
I stayed with the Nagas I was new to photography but not new to ascetic life and alternate spirtuality of a a human soul.The Nagas accepted me without ever mentioning my Muslim religiosity.
I ate with them lived with them , became apart of their Universe.
Before I rejoined Flickr I was setting up my Kumbh Photo site at Bloggerspot.
Coming here I left that part unattented and incomplete..
I learnt a lot from Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj, a teacher , a family man, who renounced the materialstic world for Lord Shiva.
I am indebted to have learnt great values , a lot of holistic way of thinking..
It also bought me closer to my concept of Pictorial Yogic Kundalini an energy I use shooting pictures or doing the Tandav scourging myself during Moharam.
Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj had never seen the pictures I shot of his ling Kriya at the Kumbh .
I just gave him this CD a few months back and also got him a Yahoo Email ID..
This was the least I could do..as Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj reads the Bible ., the Torah the Holy Koran and quotes very generously ..
But for him Islam too has had a great impact on his life..
I narrate such one incident..
When Maharj came to Mumbai as a Naga Sadhu from Karnataka he went first to the mountains of Haji Malang , here he was robbed of his meagre belongings.
But he kept his faith alive , he than being an artist and a painter , began drawing Islamic pictures on the pavement with chalk.. and other dieties at Haji Ali another Sufi Shrine.
He was accosted by a Muslim man who gave him Rs 200 / requesting him not draw the Muslim holy site pictures on the road , as people tend to walk over tham.This thought stunned the the Naga Sadhu , he returned the money and decided to quit this alm seeking enterprise.
He came to Film city joined the Shant Ashram of his Guru..
Now after his Guru he runs this Ashram visited by filmstars and people ofrom oall walks of life ..even at the Kumbh his personal driver was a Muslim.
I am lucky and blessed to share all this about a good human being.
Last when he came to Bandra I shot his pictures with a few mannequins on the road , and I accidently deleted them while shooting the eunuchs at Bipin Tannas birthday party.
This year I had booked tickets to meet him at the Ardh Kumbh at Allahabad for the Shai Snan on the 23rd ,but changed my plans to shot my first Ashura at Lucknow.
So one thing is certain whenever the next Kumbh comes I will be by his side.
He opened a new world for me , a world that one saw through pictures of Raghu Rai..
I thought this introductionwas necessary to the rest of the Ling Kriya and How to do Ling Kriya that I will post here ...
The other Naga Sadhus like Balak or Gopal who visit my shop do not possess the spirtual austerity nor the sophistication of Vijay Giri Maharaj..
Everywhere at the Kumbh , he would tell other Nagas I was his brother from a previous birth .Yes being a Hindu or Muslim is an aspect of religiosty m but being Man is what connects you with blood sweat and tears to the crucible of Humanity..
So dear Gamin de Anti ..what filters do you want me to put on the human soul before Flickr deletes my account as he suggested..
At Word Press where I posted my pictures and my homesite before Flickrs , I never needed to worry about this.. see what you want to see my pictures are to expose and educate.. not to proseylitise or evangelise..nor do I sell pictures.
The hardliners also insinuated I was in the pay of the Hindus.. I wish I was I could atleast by myself a high end Canon digital SLR instead of using a crap of a digital disaster caled Nikon D70 that lies unsold at subash electronics ..without me having paid the new repair charges of Rs 4500/ Subash will minus this amount when he sells the same..
Nobody seems to buy it even when the price is almost free...

The Naga Sadhus Trimakeshwar Above 18

The two naga sadhus asked Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj to join in the photo shoot , Maharaj removed his clothes obliging them..this was a neat shot.
I was not allowed to enter the Shahi Snan of the Naga Sadhus as the bureaucrats of the Ministry of Information made me wait 6 hours at their office at Nasik and finally refused me permission simply because I was not White and honestly it is Indians who treat Indians like Dogs.
Today as a photo blogger I think I have set an example of composite mutual compatibility , I shoot all religion, I share it with all.
I am quite confused much of the members at Flickr are here not to enjoy photography but to mock photographers and the holistic science which binds us all through pictures .I blocked a person here at Flickr for his personal comments on my mother and father..I did not want to do this..but there is a limit..
I dont go to peoples site and condemn what they shoot..
The most important thing which you guys specially smart assed Americans dont understand is the comment that you pass is what nurtures and encourages our creativity..sometimes I add your comment to my body post as your comment has become the subject of my picture..but it saddens me as a Pro here ..I am nothing but a highly paid picture taking whore with a fixed rate for a trick that will last two years..US $47 ..come enjoy the best of me..
Fuck why dont people who live in a better world than mine start thinking with their minds instead of their dicks..
I like Flickrs so I am here..I am not here for social networking I gave that up when I moved full time here...from Buzznet .
As a photographer have a heart even if you are here for kicks dont shake your juice on my head .. urinating your foulsome comments..
I am a native born but I speak your language better than I speak my own...
I write poetry too..
I shot pictures that are wordless poetry too..

Monday, July 9, 2007

NAAGA SADHUS AT NASIK KUMBH

was at the Nasik Kumbh . living among the Naga Sadhus ,I took diksha of love and brotherhood from Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhada , we are great friends , he is not in this picture , he is an immensely all religion loving guy
I was actually in the process of buildng a Kumbh Mela site at Bloggerspot but coming here to Flickrs I left that half way as I have no time .
Ths picture is from my Yahoo Photo lot...

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Bham Bham Bholenath

bure waqt
har musibat mein
tum dete ho sath
dhubte ka tinka
sirf tumhara hath
bam bam bhole nath
bam bam bhole nath
tum base ho sab ke dil mein
na koie jath aur path
bam bam bhole nath
bam bam bhole nath
har peeda har dushman
ka tum karte ho math
har har mahadev mein basa
hai sab ka bholenath
bam bam bhole nath
bam bam bhole nath

I am fascinated with Lord Shiva , so you see my proximity with the Naga Sadhus, this has nothing to do with my inherent nature as a Muslim .. but it is part of my cultural inheritance, I always wanted to visit Amarnath and Kailash Mansorovar, but somehow lack of funds, time always alluded me..but I know that Lord Shiva will give me wings to fly, shoot him , this I am certain..
I am still unquenched as I want to visit Junagadh on Maha Shivratri but each year, inspite of a genuine curiosity, it does not happen.
My Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Shanti Ashram at Film City may one day take me with him..
I missed the Ardh Kumbh , inspite of having rail tickets that I cancelled inorder to celebrate my first Ashura in Lucknow , my last sadly so.
I promote Hinduism on my site.. as we have to learn to live and let others live too..
For my detractors who accuse me in Lucknow of doing this for Money from the Hindus s a greater insult to my upbringing as a Indian Shia Muslim…
But if some philanthropist Hindu takes me with him to Amarnath or Kailash Mansarovar I will not refuse.. his kindness and his generosity.
firoze shakir
photographerno1