Sunday, November 5, 2017

My Dear Departed Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj Juna Akhara 13 Madi



Introduction
I was not financially secure , but somehow managed to go and shoot the Maha Kumbh 2013 as an Indian photographer , who had shot the earlier Nasikh Kumbh I had a great desire to shoot Allahabad and I knew my Naga Guru from Juna Akhada was keen that I cover it , I had carried a lot of shawls for the poor and my Guru had told me I could stay with him and his disciples at his tent at Sector 5 .
He wanted me to come for Mausi Amasvya .. but I could not get tickets , I left a few days before Baasnt Panchami..
My guru introduced me to some of the great Maha Mandlehwars , he took good care of me till the end ,this was perhaps my first experience shooting the Maha Kumbh and a Kumbh away from Maharashtra..
There was very beautiful young girl a person who went out of her way to introduce to some great Mahants I have removed all her pictures after her tragic death in Mumbai.. I miss her the most , she gave me the highest respect , and was media related ,, perhaps my documentary of the Kumbh is solely because of her ,her childish chatter , her banter ,but than life addresses pain in different ways.
I left the day after Basant Panchami .. this was one Kumbh I will never forget as a human or as a poet or photographer ,..
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This was shot in the tent where I stayed with my guru on arriving from Mumbai by the Kamyani Express on 12 Feb it was 7 hours late and Gurus disciple Rajan waited for me and bought me to Sector 5 .
I will divide this set in two parts as I shot a lot of naked Naga Sadhus Digambari .. and will moderate those pictures of the Naga Sadhus and the Shahi Snan to adhere to Flickr guidelines that restricts frontal nudity ..
So unless you are a Flickr member you cannot see these pictures ... the tamer ones will be for public view .. I shot Ling Kriya and penile yoga I shot Hijras taking a bath in the Sangam .. the Hijra pictures are not for public view .
I took the Holy Dip on Shahi Snan too, after my Naga Guru a moment of spiritual exhilaration and I shot some great Mahants Sants and Mystics ...I shot a lot , but on Shahi Snan dressed as a Hindu I shot the Naga procession , the Naga mud bath in the safe protection of my Naga Guru.
All my pictures are a story board starting from my journey in Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Station Kurla .. till my departure from Allahabad on Duranto Express yesterday .. I waited 7 hours in the AC waiting room for my train..but not before helping my Guru with loading the stuff from the road to the station in heavy rains ..
Vehicles could not enter the station at all..it was real bad situation and honestly we can host Asian Olympics but lack the professional integrity to hold a Maha Kumbh .. and less said about disaster management the better at the Kumbh Mela site it was a filthy dirty environment no internet access and thanks only to the Akhadas there was some semblance of order barring the fire in one of the Akhadas.
My pictures are my personal poetry , shot of my cultural inheritance and it was a real experience I think whatever your caste creed or religiosity..seeing the Maha Kumbh once in a lifetime is a must.. to understand Indian ethos and Hope Hindutva as a message of Humanity and Universal Peace .
I was lauded for shooting documenting this great moment and gifted a bouquet of roses by His Holiness Chandraswamiji of Vishwa Dharmayatan Sanathanand his disciple Sant Chetan Vaidyaji was kind enough to introduce me to the great man.

My Guru

 I was his closest disciple to the ire of others as I was a Muslim he made all his disciples touch my feet ..he taught me the highest level of humility I used to beg with him on the streets of Nasikh,

The Untimely Passing Away Of A Guru



Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.
Guru Nanak

My Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj Triveni RIP Om Shanti Om

Last evening I got a call from Mahesh from Hardiwar he was once the main disciple of my Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj Juna Akhara 13 Madi,,due to  some misunderstanding they had parted but Mahesh kept in touch with me ..he said that our Guru had expired but he was not too sure about it ,

I was stunned as last few days I was thinking of visiting my Guru at Santosh Nagar Filmcity I was not able to get in touch with him the mobile numbers he gave me were not reachable .

Last night I contacted another Naga Sadhu Guru Bhagwatiji from Jabalpur he was my Gurus close friend and Guru bhai.

I informed of the tragic news I had heard he said he will inquire through his sources .

He called me this morning gave a me a few numbers to contact and one of the numbers I got through was of Ramgiri a disciple of our Guru he confirmed the news .Shri Vijay Giri had breathed his last in Mangalore where he hailed from..his Guru Triveniji Guru our Gurus Guru  is completing the rituals and will contact me when he returns ,,

I called up Bhagwatiji and relayed the message .

And a chapter of my tryst with Naga Sadhus 4 Kumbh Mlelas I shot thanks to Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj comes to an end ,

I met my Naga Guru at Nasik Kumbh 2003 it was a very chance meeting and he accepted me as his own though he knew I was a Muslim..

I shot Maha Kumbh Allahabad  2013 thanks to him and it was here I met Guru Bhagwatiji ..I shot Nasik Kumbh 2015 and the last Kumbh with Shri Vijay Giri was Ujjain Kumbh 2016.


Without Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj I could have not completed the chapter of the Naga Sadhus and Kumbh Melas the main part of my thread Hope And Hindutva message of Universal Peace .

It was at Khamakhya 2016 and 2017 I continued shooting the Naga Sadhu ethos ..though my Guru could never make it due to poor health .

He had a kidney heart problem too. that was the cause of his untimely death.

I will visit the Ashram when Triveni guru returns from Mangalore .

A Guru is a source of knowledge wisdom learning understanding ,,I was merely a shadow without my Guru..

These words are my humble homage to his departed Soul.
Om Shanti Om.


NagaGuru