Bakra Idd

Today is the feast of Idd ul Aza, or commonly here in India known as Bakra Idd.
Goats and cattle aer sacrificed for three days, almost all the kids on Bandra Bazar Road moves about with his goat or sheep.
Wife and I went to Jamaat e Jamuriya that becomes a mini goat market to a buy a sacrificial goat and the prices were really steep.
Finally after browsing a few places we bought our goat from a friendly butcher Ibrahim, I have a very different take on this festival, that is more and more turning into a tamasha, people who are loaded buy camel, dumba, and other exotic lambs at mind boggling prices , sometimes reaching a lac or more.
I feel do the sacrifice, instead of buying a very expensive animal, for publicity , utlise the money saved for a widow or a childrens home.
Normally about 5 years back I went to Deonar the main market for goats and cattle, to buy an animal, but more to shoot the ambience and to see exotic animals that had Allah inscribed on their furry coats and would be bought by the stinking rich.
I stopped this completely.
I will not even go to Bandra Station to shoot the namaz.
I have put the Sufis on hold,I might go to the Ardh Kumbh.
I have posted 750 pictures at Word Press , I am happy that some of my old poems and journals will be read in a new light.
I wish all of you guys a very Happy New Year …lets connect , remain friends… forget the ball bashing that we gave each other last year and for Petes sake lets once again fall in love even if it is only with the reflection of her image in a shop window… thank you for the pouted smile…

Filed under: Ramzan Idd, Namaz other Muslim related Stuff , bakra idd, firoze shakir poet blogger photographer

The Awakeners of Ramzan

posted at bloggerspot  10 sept 2006

These are a group of mendicants who come to Muslim areas in the wee hours of the morning , shout to wake you up , so you can start your morning fast, and begin your Sairi.

And each one has his unique style of waking you up, my most endearing was an old man who came with a dhabli and sang

Ramzan Mubaral Aaya

Ramzan Mubarak aaya

I dont remember the words , and he sonorously woke me up , lyrically speaking.

He came each Thursday morning to collect his baksheesh, I have never seen him since.And the person in the picture does the same job,, knocking at houses and with the dogs chasing them it is quite a pandemonium.And I am breaking my fast all alone as I write this , wife is at home and some of Asifs friends have come to break fast together and so she will be  busy serving and taking care of the kitchen.

I had gone home slept and came back to the shop.

Filed under: Ramzan Idd, Namaz other Muslim related Stuff , awakeners., ramzan