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I shot these pictures of my dearest friend Mr Dinesh Pai, whose untimely death touched us all, as he touched us leading from the front , in humility and gratitude..
Most of these pictures would have not seen the light of day, I had not come here to shoot pictures I had come to offer condolences to a normal loving man a father like me..
I came to the Shivaji Park crematorium as instructed by Dr Bhujang Pai, I wore my traditional Malang clothes and came barefeet.
Before the cortege entered the crematorium the photographer who also shoots the GSB Seva Mandal Ganesha , armed with his camera told me to take some pictures of the cortege and so I decided to share this with those millions of friends of Dinesh Pai who are still not aware of his death or his funeral rites..
It happened too fast too suddenly, an accident and the flame of life was extinguished forever , and yet this flame glows effervescently in the hearts of his daughter Anita son Amit and the immediate family close relatives.
I met Dinesh Pai through a comedy of errors I was never close to him I did meet him many years back through my dear friend Dr Bhujang Pai.. but I was close to another Pai Dilip Pai who handles the security and surveillance at theGSB Seva Mandal Kings Circle..
When son Saif was getting married at IES grounds I took the address of the security handling Dilip Pai and sent the wedding card and it turned out to be Dinesh Pai.. I never told him that as we knew each other and thus began a very close friendship.
For the last two years Dinesh Pai would personally phone me invite me to the GSB Lord Ganesha celebrations , and I would come shoot the Lord and his last journey, being a diabetic I could make it barefeet following the Lord from King Circle till Sena Bhavan than would take a taxi home..
And he would call me find out how I was doing , I was close to his daughter Anita till I was on Facebook, but than I moved to Google+ lost touch and the last call Dinesh Pai made to me was to tell me his daughter was in town I told him to bring her to my house to meet my wife family and grand kids .. but it never happened .. the Lord had decided to call Dinesh Pai home..
I am inspired by the Gaud Sarswat Brahmin story of struggle and success in Mumbai, they came from the South worked hard and made Mumbai a peacful place with their contribution offering employment hope to the citizens of Mumbai.. they became part of the ethos of Maharashtra Mazha ..and so I would shoot this at the GSB Seva Mandal .. and most of the older GSB initially were wary about me I dressed like a exotic being and mostly because photography is not allowed in the GSB Seva mandal premises Dinesh Pai Bhujang Pai and other senior members gave me the requisite permission..
And I shot passionately I shot through the eyes of the GSB and I am a Shia Muslim .. I became a GSB myself behind the camera I shot hope the future of this loving community I shot the volunteers the mothers searching for prospective grooms invoking the Lord .. and the Lord used me as his instrumental tool to tell the story of his people..
And today I have tears in my eyes I have not stopped crying since I came from the funeral pyre I called Anita told her I was sharing those moments to remind people of a Lost Journey.. How can I glorify Death.. I can only glorify God who chooses the time and place to call us back after we have completed our stint on this rang manch of Life.
I collapsed when I saw the body of my dear friend Dinesh Pai..I was not close to him but his death hit me the hardest..I have no answers .. no questions .. And the only time I cried like this was when my childhood friend Ramesh Alva died .. and left me his memories ..
I am a poet and I was shooting the poetry of a kind mans vision his humility that he leaves for us.. he was the server of Lord Ganesha .. he prayed for us .. and now I pray for him and wish him a very long spiritual life with Lord GSB Lord Ganesha.
I wish Anita Amit and the rest of the family the strength to bear this irreparable loss ..
Om Shanti Om ..
Sri Vakratunda Mahakaaya
Koti-soorya samaprabha
Nirvighnam kuru me Deva
Sarva-karyeshu Sarvadaa
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