Durga Pooja in Mumbai

Last week Durga pooja was celebrated in Mumbai. Goddess Durga represents a form of Sakti worshipped by the Hindu population of India. She is considered Mother of Universe with immense power. She represents symbol of a female dynamism. Durga pooja is popularly celebrated by the Bengalee community in the State of Bengal in India.

I visited Shivaji park and lokhandwala area in Mumbai where Durga pooja was being celebrated. I bring you some of the images taken through my lens of Goddess Durga

For images and text on Navaratri, the nine days festival of India, here is the link-

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=380763&rel_no=1

Rape of a Catholic Nun- A shocking incident in Orissa

The shocking incident of rape of a 29 year old Catholic nun allegedly by a Hindu fanatical group in the sectarian violence in Orissa has made every patriotic Indian hang their head in utter shame. Ironically this dreadful news comes just a day after the nation celebrated Gandhi Jayanthi, the preacher of non-violence and tolerance to all faiths. Whenever there is sectarian or communal outbreak in the country unfortunately, it is the women folk who have to bear the maximum brunt of mindless violence, often becoming victims of rape and killing. It has happened before like in the Gujarat communal riots and it would continue to occur, sadly in future.
The reaction that follows after such an incident is that there would be huge hue and cry in the media, the NGOs resort to filing petitions, the politicians besides offering lip service, at times politicize the whole incident and the common person would remain mute spectators. After a lapse of time, everything gets forgotten till the country is jolted with one more such incident of rape and communal violence. Seldom does the incident of rape come to light in our country, though in this case it came out 38 days later, because the police in connivance with the politicians do their best to suppress such incidents.
The Hindu fanatical groups like Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Sangh Parivar have let loose a reign of terror in BJP-ruled States, destroying churches, killing innocent people and raping women. What would happen in the event of the BJP coming to power in the country? People like Pravin Tagodia would have a free run spreading hatred and inciting sectarian and communal riots. The recent communal attacks on the Christian community by the outfits like Bajrang Dal clearly exposes the hidden ( one can no more say hidden as it is out in the open) agenda of Hindutva, that is to make India a Hindu nation in which only the voice of the brute majority of the Hindus would prevail in the society.
The Muslims and Christian minorities, if they don’t adhere or indigenize their faith to Hindutva Brand of doctrine, they would be bullied and punished. In short the minorities would be treated like second class citizens. The Sangh Parivar would not fall short of realizing its goal of Hindutva even if the country is under siege by spate of bomb blasts allegedly triggered by the Indian Mujahideen. The Hindutva brigade, Bajrang Dal and VHP, who were instrumental in Babri Masjid fall, has once again raised its ugly head to destroy the secular fabric of our multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. The BJP by remaining silent to the Christian atrocities is only playing the Hindu card for electorate gains. That is what they are doing right now in Orissa and Karnataka of polarizing the society on communal lines.
The Bajrang Dal and VHP are no different from the SIMI and Indian Mujahideen terrorist organizations - both aim to terrorize the society. The former goes about its business by destroying churches and killing Christians and the latter plant bombs that kills innocent victims. It is time that the Centre intervenes to stop this carnage against the Christians.
The nation is reeling under home grown terrorist acts, in part, thanks to demolition of Babri Masjid, Mumbai and Gujarat riots, the last thing the country wants is for some misguided boys from the Christian community taking up arms. So it calls for stringent action by the central government of arresting the Bajrang dal and VHP goons under non-bailable warrant and then convicting them by having fast track courts. Yet if that does not deter arsonist from indulging in further violence then the government may ban Bajrang Dal.
For comments on this post published in Desicritics.org- click here
http://desicritics.org/2008/10/04/082326.php

Interview with Father Bernard Digel on Religous violence in Orissa published in Guardian Weekly-
Click here
http://www.guardianweekly.co.uk/?page=editorial&id=727&catID=2

Pithrupaksh - Paying Obeisance to Ancestors Soul

Pithrupaksh is an important event for the Hindus in which a person offers Sraadha (religious rites) to their Ancestors ( Pitru) soul as mark of paying obeisance. It falls on the month of August-September and is spread over fifteen days. The Hindus conduct religious rites near the bank of the holy rivers in honour of their departed souls. Pindadanam is offering of food to the departed person. It is believed that even after death the deceased person is in desire of food, hence food is offered to satisfy this desire. In Mumbai the people throng the Banganga pond located in Walkeshwar, South Mumbai to perform these religious rites. The banganga provides most pious settings to hundreds of clean shaven people squatting on the steps of this splendid pond, deeply immersed in praying and paying respect to their beloved departed ones. Offering of food and water and chanting of prayers under the expert guidance of the priest were most common sight. For me a visit to Banganga turned out to be a rich spiritual experience

For Images click here-

http://rajennair.com/gallery38.asp

Nanavati Commission Report

The Nanavati commission report is nothing but a farce. As expected it gave a clean chit to Narendra Modi and its findings that the Godra incident was a pre-planned conspiracy. I think Narendra Modi and the BJP couldn’t have asked for anything more and no doubt, this report is timed to serve the much needed ammunition for his party to the run up of the 2009 poll. The Nanavati report went on to negate the findings of the justice Bannerjee commission report which clearly says that the fire incident in which 58 Kar Seveks died was an accidental one.
In first place it would be farfetched to expect the Nanavati report to indict Narendra Modi because the commission was appointed by his state Government and done in a manner to preempt any enquiry commission being appointed by the centre and the Supreme Court. How can the perpetrators of the Godra carnage turn righteous to appoint a commission to investigate their own crime? This would be question agitating every single Indian’s mind. The Gujarat government releasing only the first part of the report is under the law termed as illegal. The motive behind the part release of the commission findings raises doubt on the authenticity and integrity of the commission. It is once again dirty politics being played here by the Narendra Modi government and making a mockery of Indian democracy.
The report would drive the wedge between the Muslim minority and Hindu in Gujarat and vitiate the communal harmony prevalent in the aftermath of spate of bomb blast occurring in several Indian cities.
With the election around the corner the BJP’s communal policy of Hindutva would come to the fore. There will be attempt to polarize the vote banks on communal lines. The country is already witnessing it. The uncalled attack on Christian churches by the Bajrang Dal and VHP on BJP ruled states is a conspiracy to divide the people on communal lines.
The Nanavati report might have given a clean chit to Modi on the Godra train fire incident but it cannot wash off his sin on the carnage that followed in which many innocent people were killed.
For comments on above published articles click here-
http://desicritics.org/2008/09/26/111547.php

Ganesh Chaturthi - Lalbaugcha Raja

I had recently covered Ganesh Chaturthi which is most popular festival in India. Check out images and text on the festival here-

http://rajennair.com/gallery37.asp

I had gone with my family and relatives to Aksa beach for a weekend holiday recently. Located in the western suburb of Mumbai in Malad, it is a good two hours drive from our place at Chembur. Aksa has a pretty long stretch of beach and could be made a excellent tourist spot by developing facilities to have speed boat ride, water sports and paragliding. I was appalled at the poor condition of the beach strewn with garbages and plastics waste. The only redeeming feature is that I could find life guard stationed at the beach as Aksa is notorious for deadly under water currents and many drowning cases is reported every year.

There wasnt much shooting opp but still could manage few images.

Click here- http://rajennair.com/gallery36.asp

Mumbai's Eastern Water Front

A lot has been written and debated on merits of the eastern water front project study and to present it in a visual form was most challenging task for me. The opportunity came in the form of a photography work shop on Mumbai’s eastern water front, conducted by the renowned German photographer Kai-Olaf Hesse under aegis of Goethe Institute.

More on Eastern Water Front and its images, Check out here

http://rajennair.com/gallery35.asp