The Shahi Snan Ramkund Nasik Kumbh Mela 2002

I was carrying a lot of equipment when I came to shoot Ramkund on the eve of the Shahi Snan I did not know anyone here , and I rested on the banks of the Godavari and than I meet this photo journalist Neeraj Bhanje , we got talking and he took care of my camera bag,, while I went to get myself washed up, he was kind enough to share his meals with and from that day till the present we have been connected by phone , but the sad part is that his newspaper is not sending him to cover the Kumbh , he has some other assignment ,, so I will not be seeing him..
However I am expecting another Tantric Guru from Hardwar Shree Kapoor Khamakhya so I hope to connect with him I dont know any Vaishnav Akharas .. but I will manage I am sure of that ..The Kumbh is a spiritual and cultural experience that grows on you..had I not shot the Kumbh and Maha Kumbh I would have missed something very integral about my country ..And you need to be called to shoot the Kumbh ,,you dont necessarily need a camera you could shoot it on your mobile phone too... in 2002 I dont think I had that option I shot film and slides and it was here at Panchvati I accidentally fell in the water with my Nikon 90 X camera and 80/200 2.8 prime lens it was a deep end but luckily nothing happened to my camera or my lens ,, and the film within...

Documenting The World Of Naga Sadhus

Only my Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj knew I was a Muslim for the rest of the Naga Sadhus it hardly mattered, they knew I was connected to their Guru so they took care of me respected me ..at Nasik my First Kumbh ..

But at Maha Kumbh I had no problems , at all I had meals with the Naga Sadhus , a guy saw that I had hot water in the mornings for bathing , and when the storm came on the night of Basant Panchami I decided to come back to Mumbai ,, our tents were flooded and it was really tough for those who slept on the roads , the vendors ,, I still think with due respect neither Mr Akhikesh Yadav or Mr Azam Khan really knew how to hold such an event ..including the stampede that was due to negligence both by the State government and the Indian Railways .. and sadly we are never prepared for such a huge event the greatest show on Earth.. ..even Wizcraft would have put up a better show than the UP government ,

My First Kumbh Nasik Trimbakeshwar 2002

I had stayed a night before with Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj at his tent at Sadhugram.. I shot a lot of images on slide including the ling kriya etc.. I joined him begging from tent to tent and added all this to my lifes experience ..
But on the day of the Shahi Snan I could not accompany the Nagas to the Trimbakeshwar tank .. so all the roads being closed I managed with great difficulty to enter the tank and was lucky to meet Mr Shyam Manchekar of PSI ..We were together here ..
This was my lifes first Kumbh .. and it took many years after the Nasik Kumbh for Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj to take me into his fold and thanks to him I had one of the best Maha Kumbhs at Allahabad .
Trust Faith are the most important aspect of a relationship.. all these years my Guru never asked me for money , he fed me gave me shelter at Sector 5 Allahabad whatever money I had with me I gave it to him to feed the poor ..I had bought shawls and kambals that I gave to the poor folks sleeping on the banks of the Ganges .
I could have shot much more than I had shot at the banks of the Sangam on Basant Panchami Shahi Snan , but after my dip with the Nagas I left the banks with my Guru.. I have no regrets.. my only wish is to go with him one day to Junagadh to celebrate Maha Shivratri with him ..
"Kailaasarana Shiva Chandramouli Phaneendra Maathaa Mukutee Zalaalee Kaarunya Sindhu Bhava Dukha Haaree Thujaveena Shambho Maja Kona Taaree"

Meeting My Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhada

I Go To Meet My Naga Guru Before He Leaves For The Nasik Kumbh

Went to meet my Naga Sadhu Guru Shree Vijay Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhada at his Ashram near Film city ,,we were meeting after the Maha Kumbh ,,I presented him about 50 ( 10 by 12 ) prints of our first meeting at Nasik Kumbh 2002 of his ling kriya and he and his two disciples pulling a car with their ling at Trimbakeshwar,.one of his disciples Shankar Giri died recently ,,

I was there with him for some time before he leaves to set us his tent at Sevagram..Trimbakeshwar ,
All his disciples know that I am a Muslim but they touch my feet out of respect and my cosmic proximity to their Guru.

Because of Shri Vijay Giri I met the main Maha Mandleshwars at Maha Kumbh Allahabad ,,of course they dont know me as Firoze but Ashok Bhartiya the name my guru has given me to save my ass from bigots ..everyone is not like my Guru.. thanks to him I shot 3500 images and had one of the most enlightening experience ,for me the Maha Kumbh was about culture and part of my 65000 Hindu Blogs at Flickr titled Hope and Hindutva a Message of Universal Peace ..

This was an image shot at the Maha Kumbh before meeting the main Maha Mandleshwar of the Naga Sadhus Juna Akhada at Sector 4 Allahabad.

My Maha Kumbh set is restricted and by me and can be viewed only by Flickr members ..because of frontal nudity ,, I even shot hijras taking a dip in the Sangam.. these pictures are disabled from public view .