through the parched

soul of her camera

what did she see

a beggar a poet

entwined fused

cosmically a father

grandfather slave

a withered bark

of his ancestral tree

what did she see

photographically

or cinematic-ally

a friend who was

once master of his

fragmented destiny

images stalking his

soul on the periphery

to be or not to be

am i a muslim a hindu

christian jew atheist

agnostic or human

doors of locked

imagery reflections

silhouettes pandering

to words posturing

as a poor mans poetry

through the camera i was

bequeathed my teachers

aim his archery emboldening

the fire in the soul stalking

the streets of karmic photography

dedicated to Mabel Amber ,,,

man like

his faithful pet dog

loves to pee

against walls

against lamp posts

mark his territory

here in lucknow

he squats

a part of his

religiosity

man can starve

man can stay thirsty

but man has to pee

a feature more

important than

to be or not to be

to pee or not to pee

an empty bladder

the relief that

makes you write

street poetry

I prefer wearing

A Lama pleated skirt

I am a Sufi monk

Only with words

I flirt I hate wearing

Jeans trousers shirts

Now you will say

Another one bites

The Dirt ..

Words should heal

Not hurt

#beggarpoet

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

Kartay thay ro ro ke ya hazrat bayan

toar gaye meri qamar bhayi jaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

Roti hay khayme me Sakina wahan

Sote ho Abbas zamin par yahaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

1) Aray lash uthaye ga kon, Shere jawaan mar gaya

Aray qabr banaye ga kon, Shere jawaan mar gaya

Aray humko sambhale ga kon,Shere jawasn mar gaya

Toro na gurbat me meri aas utho

Utho Husain aaye hain Abbas utho

Rota he mazlum basad yas utho

Utho bas ab ghar me chalo bhayi jaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

2) Aray kon khabare le meri, Shere jawan mar gaya

Haey meri bekasi, Shere jawan mar gaya

Chalti hay dil par churi, Shere jawan mar gaya

Kya huwa sawwaye Sakina ko aa

Kisne kiya mere bhara gar tabah

Kya huwi abbas biradar ki chaah

Ab gaye wo pyaar ki baate kaha

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

3) Aray mar gaya Akbar pisar, Shere jawan mar gaya

Thaam lo meri qamar, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray lut gaya bekas ka ghar, Shere jawan mar gaya

Quwate bazu mera kya ho gaya

Zeenate pehlu mera kya ho gaya

Aashiqe dil yu mera kya hogaya

Kya huwa afsos mera qadr daan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

4) Aray jhume khayme me wa, Shere jawan mar gaya

Karti hay Zainab fugaa, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray kis say karoon may bayan, Shere jawan mar gaya

Hath se khoya dile gamkhwar ko

Paoon kahaan apnay alamdar ko

Geri huwi khanjar-e khu khar ko

Jalad gale par ho mere ab rawaa

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

5) Aray ab koi chara nahi, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray zeest gawara nahi, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray koi hamara nahi, Shere jawan mar gaya

Maa hai bani hasheme wala nahi

Usme mere mehru ka ujala nahi

Haaye mere chahane wala nahi

Nazro me tarikh ha sara jahan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

6) Aray lash uthayenga kon, Shere jawaan mar gaya

Aray kabre banayanga kon, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray humko sambhalenga kon, Shere jawan mar gaya

Toro na gurbat me meri aas ko

Utho Husain aaye ha abbas utho

Rota he mazlum basat yas utho

Utho basat gar me chalo bhayijaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

7) Aray ankho ka tara mera, Shere jawan mar gaya

Aray chand ka tukra mera, Shere jawan mar gaya

Are gar ka ujala mera, Ruhe ali jaan-e nabi alvida

Ashiko shaidai akhi alvida

Laasha-e abbase ali alvida

Aate hain ab ham bhi chalo bhayijaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

Kartay thay roro ke ya hazrat bayan

toar gaye meri qamar bhayi jaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

Roti hay khayme me Sakina wahan

Sote ho Abbas zamin par yahaan

Aa Alamdar haey alamdar (x3)

About Snigdha Manchanda

No Not A Storm In A Tea Cup

Her Words

Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things. ~Saki

It all started, innocently enough, with the water that I carried to school. My mother made it a point to infuse it with some or other herb. She believed it was healthy, I developed a taste for different flavors, and my friends stayed away from my bottle. Everyone was happy. Chai (yes, with milk) was a staple at home and so was green tea. I became the girl who ordered tea when friends “went out for coffee.” I just liked tea more, I told people. Friends from all over the world brought me teas as gifts, and not simply because I had asked for it. Soon enough, I had a collection of teas from around the world. I applied to study tea professionally in Sri Lanka to understand tea better. And at the end of visiting more than 10 tea gardens, tasting 100 cups of tea a day, and profiling over 2000 varieties of tea, I was eager to share my learnings on the art and practice of Tea.

Stories, Tea and a Trunk

“The Darjeeling is the champagne of the world’s teas, a sommelier is not the same as a taster, and chai is just one of the many forms of tea.” I was brimming with tea stories, and I made it my personal mission to demystify tea-speak. Many tea tastings and workshops followed. The more stories I told, the more I heard.

I smiled extra bright when chai-lovers walked over to say that they had never had tea this way. I wanted more and more people to discover and enjoy good-quality tea. Thus was born was Tea Trunk. The name was inspired from my dad’s trunk in which I stored my collection of world teas, back in the day.

I invite you to take your pick from Tea Trunk and experience tea like it should be.

- Snigdha Manchanda, Tea Sommelier

teatrunk.wordpress.com/about/

I moved to Bandra Reclamation 12 yrs back earlier we stayed at De Monte street Bandra Bazar.

I began Documentng these barbers of Lal Mitti.