Famous for being the only fort along India's Western coast that remained undefeated despite Dutch, Maratha and English East India Company attacks, Murud-Janjira, which was occupied by the Siddis, is the local name for a fort situated on an island just off the coastal village of Murud, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India

I was introduced to the bullock cart race at Alibagh by my Guru the quintessential Marathi Manoos Mr Shreekanth Malushte .

He bought us here to shoot this inspirational sport, but shooting the bullock cart race was limited to panning shots.

I soon got tired and decided to shoot it headlong without fearing death, and I woulld rush into the path of the oncoming tonga or bullock cart and rush back to my spot with the crowd.

Mind you I am dressed in a dhoti, jewellery and its tough..

Through the bullock cart race I met the finest Maharashtrian family the Dhulaps.

I was introduced to the Murud Janjira race by another stalwart of photography a one man army called Anil Bhartiya..

Anil Bhartiya is a photographer unique, bursting with creativity , a great teacher but a loner at heart, he does no blow his trumpet , he loves to teach , some of the best students have come from his stable.

He is a renowned photo journalist, highly respected , and I missed him at the Bandra Idd Namaz this year.

Unlike the post modern photographers of the press carying their overblown ego along with their cameras, Anil Bhartiya is a lesson in humility.

Its sad the new press photographers have shallow mentalities and no respect for their seniors or even photo bloggers like me.

They treat photo bloggers like parasite,they want to own the universe.. their univers e the termite infested , Indian newspaper on its final journey to the Raddi shop..

MSM Rest In Peace .

I am happy I met some great photo journos like Sudharak Olwe ,KK,Nitin Sonawane , Mahender Parekh, Ashish Rane , Gautam, to name a few.

I have been harshly treated by many photo journos, but who cares a fuck...who wants a one picture stand in the Times of India,,

I am happy that my pictures touch a few people, a few days back my neigbor MR PP came and thanked me , he had never missed burning of Ravans efigy for nine years , but this time he could no go, and took darshan from my pictures at Flickr.

This is photography as an art of holistic healing.

Media pictures need to be re invented they are cliche, jarring to the eyes and heavily copied and fuck they suck....

The photo journalist needs to possess the soul of a poet, and the art of imagery as a wordless poet..

I am proud that Mr Raghu Rai chose Sudharak Olwe of Bombay Times as a photographer with a vision to the future..

A thorough humble man, Olwe who shot the Idd Namaz with a Muslim scarf on his head, he shot the Durga Pandal at Shivaji Prk dressed in red the color of the Goddess.

Yes I learn from all these people and guide the new photographer .. with the experience I have gathered through my pictorial adventures ..

I am touched by the words of Face book and an old Buzznet friend.

Michael A. Bell wrote on your Wall.

"Firoze, if you haven't considered, or done it already, I think you should create a book(s) of your photographs and poetry. I, for one, would buy one.

Thanks for sharing some ..."

I must also acknowledge another fantastic nature photographer bullock cart veteran , multi faceted Prof BW Jatkar ..yes he taught me the soul of photography embedded in the wheel of a bullock cart.

And last but not the least Dronacharya the legendary KG Maheshwari/ the last of the Mohicans of India..

I think the photoblogger has come of Age and should be given space along with the journos that populate the Indian diverse religiosity , feast and event space..

Nothing personal should hurt only if the cap fits...

The feast of Gudi Padwa the Maharashtrian New Year is the time the bullock cart races are held on the beaches of Murud Janjira..

Normally one takes a catamaran or a boat to reach Alibagh , the boat drops you at Mandwa pier from there the PNP catamaran services bus drops you to Alibagh , you have a nice breakfast at Sumangal, from there you either take a ST Bus to Murud Janjira a 4 hour back breaking ass splitting ride , or you hire a rickshah for about Rs 450..

You reach Murud Janjira beach, there are lots of cosy inexpensive lodges and hotels close to the beach..The food here is predominantly fish , prawns crabs lobsters..

The photographer fraternity is here , all waiting for the races, beer is available here .

The country hooch made by the fishermen called Jambul is an exotica of an elixir for the burnt out urban soul..

I dont drink smoke or fornicate ..

I dont tell lies either ..

My camera does sometimes but truthfully..

The race starts once the tide receeds , first it is the cycle race followed by the tonga or horse cart race, the pony race and finally the bullock cart race..

This race here is not as lavish or crowded as the Alibag bullock cart race.

A little ahead of the beach are some ancient Sufi burial ground , a must for photographers.. ruins galore..

Coming back is the same way or you take a ST Bus from Murud Janjira via Panvel back to Dadar .

This ride is worst , totally packed Asiad buses.. bumpy as Hell.

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

Date: May 01, 2006

Venue: Janjira, Maharashtra, India

Camera: Canon Powershot S2 IS

Post Processing Software: GIMP

experimentswithphotos.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/16/

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

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mohabat main

har kha kar

hum ghar

rawana hue

peeche rahe gaye

woh manzar

woh adhure khab

pyas aur

pani ke kue

#firozeshakir

#beggarpoet

#khudahafuz

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

www.puneritraveller.com/harishchandragad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/lohagad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/murud.html

www.puneritraveller.com/pratapgad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/raigad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/rajmachi.html

www.puneritraveller.com/rajgad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/shivneri.html

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

Dusk on the beach at Murud, Maharashtra. I liked the twigs stuck in the smooth sand as a texture contrast here. Ziess 21 mm Distagon / EOS 1Ds Mark 2.

www.puneritraveller.com/harishchandragad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/lohagad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/murud.html

www.puneritraveller.com/pratapgad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/raigad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/rajmachi.html

www.puneritraveller.com/rajgad.html

www.puneritraveller.com/shivneri.html

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

Nikon D300s | Nikkor 16-85mm DX VR | Hand held

@Murud-Janjira

Situated on a rock of oval shape near the port town of Murud, 165kms south of Mumbai, Janjira is one of the strongest marine forts of India (the word ‘Janjira’ is a corruption of the Arabic word Jazira for island). The forts is approached by sailboats from Rajapuri jetty.

A fishing/ferry boat of the type that was used to take us from Janjira village ( in the background) to the fort. Power is four men wielding punts and sail, the crossing of approx 2 Km took 30 minutes! More smooth Fuji rendering on view here.

within the soul of the sand

an imaginary world

in a far away

no mans land

moving moments

pictorially panned

poetic passions

going out of hand

and

soothing sorrow

spiritually scanned

the camera

a magic wand

not canon nikon

its the camera inner eye

of your mind

the greatest brand

reflecting a shot

on another mans soul

from where you stand

dedicated to Teresa Burke alias Dragon Fly

Date: Apr 29, 2006

Venue: Mumbai | Janjira, Maharashtra, India

Camera: Canon Powershot S2 IS

Post Processing Software: GIMP

experimentswithphotos.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/14/

My DP3M atop my RRS BH55 head, waiting for the sunset on Murud beach, Maharashtra. Taken with my EOS 1Ds2, handheld. It was a beautiful evening but the sunset never quite lived up to it's promise. All the same, a very nice place to be of an October evening.

This is a little side-gate, it looks like a window from the outside. It is seaward facing, for a quick getaway.

This huge square inside the fort contained the palace of the siddi king. All that remains now is this beautiful doorway and a lot of sad broken stone edifices to remind us of the glory of those days...