Pitru Paksha Through The Eyes of a Muslim Blogger, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.
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This place on the Pitru Paksha day which is one day before the advent of Navratri is a crowded affair all the North Indian migrants from UP colloquially called bhaiyyas gather here to pay homage through puja to their dead ancestors .
Prayers with the aid of a pujari are recited and the ritual ingredients on a leaf with a burning lamp are placed in the waters of the tank..
The eaves float all around but are quickly removed by the concerned locals so it does not choke up the tank or the fish and fauna in the pond.
Rafts move around collecting the leaves floral tributes etc ..
I shot all this from the raft too and this was one risky move you know why..
Pitru Paksha requires removal of body hair scalp armpits facial ,, and it is on this day even a person who has never shaved a head becomes a barber so dont be surprised seeing bleeding scalps and faces.
After the religious tonsure comes the prayers rituals and the dip in the tank, this is a only male ritual..and the largest number of bald heads at one place .
Strangely thought the North Indian is supposed to be cause of the problems of the Marathi Manoos here such feeling does not exist at all as all the ritual items on the bank are sold by Maharashtrian women and men , this is their complete monopoly on Pitru Paksh day.
And whatever power politics the support infrastructure is from the locals and the Congress I MLA and the Congress Corporator,, both taking on the responsibility for the welfare of the North Indians on Pitru Paksh day.
But what this place needs is a few boats more to remove the ritual waste in the water and more volunteers from all walks of life and life guards though there has never been a case of drowning here I was told.
There is an ambulance first aid and newly added changing rooms on the banks of the tanks.
Outside the tank the beggars the barbers the vendors of beads necklaces the pickle and sweets sellers do brisk business ..
There are pandits who charge a nominal fee for tying the holy thread on your wrist,, there are neem datoon sellers and Gods pictures in frames sellers.
Everywhere I went there are cries of Bam Bam Bhole Nath because of my tiger print turban and my Sadhu like saffron attire and the gems on my body and my barefeet.
Hardly anyone knows I am a Muslim blogger , most of the younger folks touch my feet and take my blessings somebody offered me Rs 10 as baksheesh too..
This is the India I love dearly and I shoot clearly .
