Visiting Haji Ali's tomb, a photo from Maharashtra, West

Photographer's Note

In the distance you can see the Haji Ali 'Dargha', the 15th century tomb in Bombay (Mumbai) of an Uzbek merchant known as Ali Shah Bukhari, who had settled in the city. Next to the mausoleum is a small mosque.

I hesitated long before deciding to post this photo (and two WS). It was a very hazy day with a strange light, and although I won't claim it's a very good scan it's not quite as bad as it may seem at first glance. The weather was bad, the scan is relatively decent.

The fate of Ali Shah Bukhari is shrouded in myths and legends. It is very possible that while living in Bombay he selected this spot for his burial. But various stories claim that he died on his way back from a pilgrimage to Mecca, but after he was buried at sea, either his coffin or just his body (depending on which legend) floated on the waves and was stranded here. It has also been claimed that he drowned as the ship taking him back from the pilgrimage perished here, just as he was near his home.

Whatever happened, this is one of the most visited places in Bombay, usually packed with pilgrims and ordinary tourists.

I wasn't much impressed by the mausoleum, where according to my diary I was disturbed at finding a cafeteria with a large soft drink sign just a few meters from the sarcophagus.

I was more interested in what I saw along the way to the mausoleum. There were lots of souvenir sellers, as in this photo, but also hundreds of beggars. Since Muslims are required to give alms to beggars, especially when visiting sacred places, it would have been an impossible task for everyone to hand out gifts to every beggar.

I was delighted to discover the solution:

Along the way were money changers with large stocks of coins of the smallest denominations. A pilgrim ready to donate one rupee (just my example) could exchange it for approximately 90 coins of 1 paisa each. At the end of the day a beggar who had collected 100 such coins could exchange them for maybe 90 paisa of more comfortable denominations.

The beggars received their alms, the money changers made a profit, the pilgrims had done their religious duty. Everyone was happy!

Recent photos indicate that this walkway has been rebuilt and elevated since 1988. Using it at high tide can still be risky, as sudden strong waves are likely to splash all over it.

There are two WS. All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

pajaran, pierrefonds, Fis2, ikeharel, PaulVDV, jhm, Royaldevon, jean113, PiotrF, mcmtanyel, COSTANTINO, GyurMaster, clic, ricardomattos, adramad ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

Silvio1953 (215269) 2021-10-20 0:51

Ciao Gert, interesting scene with street vendita, beautiful perspective, excellent clarity, fine details, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pajaran (110585) 2021-10-20 1:09

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepi suveniri i bela arhitektura u pozadini, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom, perspektivom i uhvacenim trenutkom sa prodavcima.
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici.
lepe fotografija uradjene skeniranjem slajdova.
Lepo secanje.

Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja

Gerrit (61212) 2021-10-20 2:08

Hello Gert,
Smart plan of the beggars to be just there where the Muslim pilgrims gather. Great photo with a clear view over the sea and the monuments far away and over the souvenir sellers with the same merchandice.
thanks and regards,
Gerrit

ChrisJ (168910) 2021-10-20 5:11

Hello Gert,

The framing and composition are VERY decent although the weather may not have been conducive. The diagonal row of trinket stalls add strong lead in lines and perspective. Good colour and diffused light. The skin tones look perfect. Not always easy to transfer from a slide. Tfs!

pierrefonds (110190) 2021-10-20 5:31

Hi Gert,

You have captured well a daily life scene. The mausoleum in the background is giving s sense of depth. The point of view is showing the details of the souvenirs shops. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Fis2 (164819) 2021-10-20 5:38

Witaj Gert!
A very nice scene fron daily life.
Street market makes impression.
Good POV, colors and light.
Well done.
Good afternoon.
Krzysztof

ikeharel (110534) 2021-10-20 5:48

Hello Gert,
Three posts with the same subject, about India people.
Rightly chosen the main photo, though teeth of time's shown upon - till offers a remarkable impact. Interesting reading the note.
Good afternoon,
Ike

PaulVDV (59841) 2021-10-20 5:59

Hello Gert,
I visited the Haji Ali Dargah in the evening.
There was multicoloured lighting of several buildings and there was something magical about the place. Few foreign visitors but many pilgrims.
On the other hand, this was perhaps the place in Mumbai where I was most confronted with extreme poverty.
In the meantime, for some reason, I forgot the many sellers visible in your photos. Maybe because I'm usually not that interested in buying. But I still remember the many beggars and the poverty well.
In these photos taken during the day, this place seems to have lost all of the magic I thought I experienced that evening. I'm convinced that in 1988 this area was even more shabby than when I was there in 2017. Or is it the clear daytime view that is playing tricks on me?
In a way, these photos are a bit of a sobering up for me from my memories.
This is of course no less reason to visit the Haji Ali Dargah.
You might understand what I mean if you look at my photo (and the two in the WS) again: https://www.trekearth.com/viewphotos.php?l=7&p=1551118
As for the walkway: No idea how effective its elevation is. In your pictures the path seems to me like the situation as I saw it. Only I was there in the evening in the semi dark.
Your second photo in the WS shows the entrance to the shrine. I seem to remember that there was even more rubbish lying around there than in your picture.
You weren't much impressed by the mausoleum. I totally understand that. I was more impressed by the atmosphere there.
Your photos show more of the walkway to the shrine. A long path that didn't have the slightest hint of magic during my visit. I even think that I tried not to stand out too much as a wealthy foreigner. Something I thought about more when I walked there than in other places in Mumbai.
In any case, very interesting to see your photos and read your experiences.
Best regards, Paul

jhm (209585) 2021-10-20 6:08

Hello Gert,

I've every time much admiration of your fantastic archive and memory.
Also your two additional picture give a lovey sight about the space where you could make this pictures
Excellent sharp and clear to look at.
Perfect perspective and colourful image.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

Tue (88836) 2021-10-20 8:38

Hej Gert,
Skønt det disede vejr står de hvide bygninger i baggrunden stadig tydeligt frem fra himlen. De mange købmænd der sidder med deres mange små købvarer på stenene danner en god forgrund. De havde travlt med at sikre at alle de små ting stod og så godt ud for kunderne.
Lars

Royaldevon (83012) 2021-10-20 8:57

Hello Gert,

You have lots of interesting information to share with us about your Asian travels. The money changers in relation to the expectations of the pilgrims makes perfect sense.

I find this a really well composed and interesting photograph.
The stalls are really well positioned along a diagonal and, there is little cost to sellers of souvenirs other than what they are selling! (I often wonder if they make a living selling these objects. There is so much competition and the quality of what they sell in not high.)

Your w/s are equally interesting.
India is like Pakistan, the difference between the rich and the desperately poor are so stark! They contrast visually, especially at places of pilgrimage.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

lousat (135553) 2021-10-20 9:21

Hi Gert,the mausoleum did not appear to be in good condition, it could have needed a good restoration, but apparently it became a kind of entertainment center if they also put a café inside. Lots of people around, merchants and money changers who certainly do not increase the pleasure of a visit here. Three good photos despite the very difficult light. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

ktanska (42988) 2021-10-20 9:33

Hej Gert,
Plenty of merchandise, and no doubt theme must be quite a few visitors too. But this angle shows just a beach, which is not good for swimming of sunbathing. Colourful details look good against grey sky and stones.
Kari

ifege (42325) 2021-10-20 23:03

Hi Gert
3 interesting photos with a good explanation of the beggar solution. I notice that the stall tend to have very similar stock as so often happens at places like this.
cheers
Ian

jmdias (110205) 2021-10-21 1:38

gert

I tried to visit this place but there was a xuch big event in those days and millions of people were there and around, waiting. I took some images around in mainland. Nice these three images.
Tc
Jorge

jean113 (26067) 2021-10-21 12:31

Hello Gert, this seems a most unlikely place to set up a stall, it looks extremely uncomfortable, but it is on the way to the tomb.
Three informative pictures and a very informative note.
I would think that it is even busier these days.
I do wonder how much it will have changed since 1988.
Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards, Jean.

PiotrF (54158) 2021-10-21 16:07

Hello Gert
An interesting series of photos from this place. Thank you for informative note. I like the photos in the workshop, good colors and quality. Very good presentation
regards
Piotr

mcmtanyel (63689) 2021-10-21 20:44

Hello Gert,
I must confess, the foreground is more interesting than the distant tomb. Three interesting daily life photos from the Bombay of 1980s.
Regards,
MT

COSTANTINO (111248) 2021-10-21 22:32

Hello dear Gert
do not hesitate to upload all your photos
because they have an originality
giving to all of us an idea of a different
world too many years ago...
I like reading your useful notes
as a book with different stories...
regards
Costantino

GyurMaster (23652) 2021-10-22 13:44

Dear Gert,

It is a really good combination of a nothing special and a postcard. I like how the vendors are engaged in caring for their goods, while the kid smiling in the bg. seems to give a damn about everything. WS 2 is also very well composed.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

clic (25392) 2021-10-23 8:28

Hallo Gert
There is lot of local style spreading out in a beautiful diagonal line, from near field up to the grandiose memorial which plays low profile around the bend.
I imagine the "Vendors of the Temple" mentioned in the catholic Bible; they were chased away from a place of worship.
In any event, such valorous resellers in this colorful picture work hard for a way of living and constitute an unmissable attraction in the vicinity points of interest.
Basta halsningar

ricardomattos (17000) 2021-10-25 16:12

Olá Gert

Muito interessante conhecer outras culturas e costumes. O homem lutando pela sua sobrevivencia de várias formas é o que vejo aqui. Muito interessante a sua nota explicativa. Excelente trabalho !

Parabéns e abraço

Ricardo

adramad (70444) 2021-11-03 13:11

Hi Gert.
This image is very interesting, with the usual stalls selling handicrafts, in this case it seems a remote place by the sea, the other photo of the WS is a bit depressing with the environment so old and quite dirty, but India is like that and I suppose that much more when you visited her 33 years ago.
Good image, with optimal sharpness, exposure and color, an excellent POV.
Photo very well done. I like it
Enjoy a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis.