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,