Look at the picture. That�s I, with a camera to my face, standing over the heads of thousands of Dawoodi Bohras in the heart of crowded Bhendi Bazar. They had come hours earlier to have a glimpse of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, their spiritual leader, who at 92 gives passionate Moharram sermons for ten consecutive days at the Saifee Masjid.

My shoot lasted all of two minutes, less, for that�s how long the Syedna took to emerge from the mosque, give a gentle wave and step down the ramp into his green Cadillac and drive away.

In those two mesmerising minutes, my camera stopped working � or so I thought, not realising I had finished exposing 36 frames in a jiffy.

Dr. Syedna has charisma. I saw clearly through my zoom lens his pious, kindly face. A face which has such purity and beauty, I thought God truly must live in such human beings.

To know what else is there in this issue, go through the content pages this time.

Farzana Contractor