Matam: Bombay, India Jan 09

Shot on Thursday 8th Jan 09, Muharram - Matam at Bhindi Bazaar, Bombay, India.

And then i saw the kids with knives bleeding.

kids with knives...

Came home with blood on my arms, feet, face and my backback was soaked after backing up into the guy above.

Ofcourse it was an experience..ofcourse i have pages to write but everytime i try to do that theres this heavy uncomfortable urge to use profanity and everything that crosses the line of being opinionated and diplomatic.

It wasnt the act. It was the kids at Muharram.

I got plenty of responses and all were of shock. nobody expected this and now that its available, I believe everyone should have a look for some perspective on what goes on around the world in the name of religion.

I don't think I can get more raw in my words than this.

hah swarathma gig shoot cancelled. no piddlyshit money and no stress going to bandra on muharram after walking around all day with blood on my feet.

I'm stuck between being very relieved and disappointed.

What can go wrong will go wrong...
or not?

M&M photoshoot.

Muharram and Music:

I'm intimidated about today. After basking in comfort provided by a thick blanket, self motivated seclusion and comfort food, I'm suddenly faced with a day where I've decided to photograph Muharram AND the Swarathma's album launch (Bangalore based folk rock band).

My day will start in the afternoon and end late at night. I'll spend some hours following the Juloos doing Matam at Bhindi Bazaar. I've never seen Matam practised, nor have I photographed it. I have no idea what kind of tiny details to look out for either but have a vague idea through photos online. After which I'll head straight for Bandra to a club called Bonobo (which is a type of monkey that likes to fuck after it gets violent, did they know this?).

The contrast between mourning, blood, pain, reflection, excused SIV and later, joyous creative harmonised and expressive musical outburst will end with a potential system shock for the hybernating lazy parasitic creative self.
Actually I'm positive that today is going to throw me off balance in the mental space im currently submerged in.

***

On re reading my last post, I'm disappointed that I couldnt accurately express the emotions behind my week in Gokarna and erroneously breaking that down into a factual, one sided account of what happened is veritably missing the mark and that post should be passed off as lame on all accounts

***

I;ve been posting on timepass threads on www.sharinglungs.com and i'm now aware that I absolutely hate messing around forums because of its addictive nature. Just like facebook. Unfortunately I'm sucked in so deep into the facebook addiction vortex that I shall look down up yet excuse it. : s

***

3 serious timewastage links I've been visiting:
www.sharinglungs.com
www.ananova.com
http://www.bunny-comic.com

***

Notes::

Cat food takes like shit.
Cats on macs don't look good.
Exercise is a requirement not a luxury intertwined with freetime.
Facebook sucks.

Gokarna

 1st Jan 2009. Looking back at the immediate past.
The last week of December 08' couldn't have been more fullfilling.
I spent the last 4g that i got from my Magic event on a trip to Gokarna.

I met some interesting characters who I chose to spend most of my time with. The three days before that were disturbing and interesting. I watched a friend do md alone with spurts and a rush of emotions and confusion within myself and between us. The trip on the whole was me learning about a surprisingly calm, intune with, clean and real part of myself with no disappointment or incliniation of being intoxicated or taking any moment for granted and focusing on what really was important.

The good stuff was hours of hanging out with Toni and Tommy from Finland. Remember this, rememeber this. It was absolutely great. Tommy. 'Tommy the cat' lover and drug voyager who I has earned a soft spot in my system for his gentle quiet and surprising nature. Toni is a random traveller, opinionated, very aesthetically pleasing to the eye with a literary gift who i bumped into by the bonfire. He's also the person who made the 'druggy folder' and collected all the Terence Mckenna and passed it on to Sourabh, random.person.no2, that i met in Bangalore via encountering Joos in Vata and grabbed this off him immediately.
The universe brought the learners, messengers, discoverers and people who are turned on by a handful of similar ideas from different worlds, together within a few months in 08'. Cheers Toni and Sourabh. : )

My travel company disappointed me where environment rigidness, enclosed mindspaces, lack of people exploration and a subliminal fixation on getting fucked up on drugs for the holiday which goes against my basic principle on travelling thereby bringing out a part of me that wanted to exclude myself from the above mentioned states.
Fair enough I suppose.

Returning home was a disappointment. No class, money that remained and a void on missing out on an exciting at gokarna after connecting with other travellers.

Good moments with Oscar though. : )