Aqeedat, driven from Arabic, means faith, veneration and alliance, and this work is an exploration of the intertwined fates of Palestine and Kashmir, two lands that somehow share a similar fate of shared struggle and religious belief.
Most of these photos were taken during the protests on Youm e Qudus, the pro-Palestine rallies that are held annually in Kashmir. These are the only times a controlled solidarity with Palestine is allowed in Kashmir. The work is comprised of two parts – one where I have documented Pro-Palestine protests, and the other where I have staged photos as my own gestures of solidarity.
Smoke rises from a residential house during a gun battle between suspected militants and Indian paramilitary forces in Khanyar, Srinagar, Kashmir, on November 2, 2024.
As a documentary photographer, I intend to take photos that record our histories and stories. I believe documentation is crucial. It is our only method of dissent. My method is very organic, over the years I have stopped forcing myself to hunt down the ‘good image’. I let the process flow and when I see a moment I try my best to make it a good composition and control the light. Above all, I try to make sure my presence with gear in my hand is not bothering anyone. Over the last 7 years, the most important thing I have learned is that it is equally important to know when to put your camera down as it is when to keep it ready. I tend to document the women most because I believe that their expressions of solidarity and resistance often get lost in dominant narratives.
I wish more people paid attention to the mechanism of occupation and how it works strategically, and in everyday life, not just when it becomes very obvious. I wish people would understand that peace is a facade, and there is no peace and freedom until everyone is free. I also wish people understand how occupation uses Islamophobia as a tool to dehumanise the people of Palestine.
