A walk through the city

by Reshma ~ Monday, November 3, 2008

Dharavi on the first sight

For the purpose of knitting contacts six of us went to Dharavi on Sunday. Our group consisted of Reshma, the Project Coordinator of the Dharavi-Project; Lisa, a PhD from New York; three College students from Dharavi: Ganesh, Umesh and Mahendra; and me, Alexander, the new German intern with PUKAR.

Because a group of 24 students of the Chicago University, studying livelihood and habitant studies, will come to Mumbai on 8^th November we just wanted to figure something out to show them in Dharavi. To get to know the inhabitants our three boys from the community got us in touch with Dharavi residents. For me it was the first step into a new World of what is called Asia’s largest slum.

The first thing I can say about it is that I never expected a place so full of life and action. As a person from the west all I know about slums I know from the media. Germany as a G8-country faces no considerable problems with illegal settlements nor has it such a high level of working migration. Sure, there is unemployment as well. And also there are habitats that are not what you can call high standard. But these consist not of self build huts or houses erected on former marsh land between railway tracks. So on that point getting out of the bus at T-Junction and entering Dharavi was like entering a totally new world.

Firstly we wanted to discover the tanneries of Dharavi, as Reshma was told, that the neighborhood we just entered was famous for its tanneries. After turning into a narrow lane we got to an open space. One could already smell the light stench of blood in the air, which was waving over from an open building. The smell was that of freshly delivered hides that where lying on the floor of the workshop. Men were washing and salting them, an important procedure before tanning. A tannery as we expected to see, was that not. The hides here become treated in the manner I just described and afterwards they send them to the real tanneries, which are now located in Deonar.

We headed further. In an open space in the shade of a building, women were rolling papads and laid them on a reversed basket to dry. In front of another house women washed clothes and hung them to dry in the sun.

As we went through another narrow street crowded by workers and children, Ganesh requested us to step into a door of a nearby house. Suddenly all we six stood in a Kitchen, where a Mother and her daughter prepared special Diwali Cookies. The prepared dough becomes treated with a machine looking like a peppermill. But bye drilling the handle not pepper comes out of the bottom, but the dough in a structured shape. On old newspapers the dough stripes are laid out in spiral shapes, waiting to get fried in hot oil. We all tried some of the spicy cookies – they were fantastic!

After that we were invited to another room of the house, were we met Malama, mother of 13 years old Ashvaria, 11 years old Asha and two younger daughters. Malama used to work as a nurse, taking care for patients in there houses. Now she is working as a registrar in an office. Her husband worked with a glass company, which went bankrupt and he lost his job. For 10 Years he refused to get another job, maybe because of proud, maybe because of other reasons. At this time Malama was the only person providing an income for the family. That brought tensions to the household. Now her husband works again, in the flower shop of his son in law.

Aishwarya is visits grade IX at school. She is a clever girl, asking me questions about Germany. Asked if she ever saw snow in her life, she answers “of course, in the freezer!” She is playing in a local soccer team in the defense position. This is possible because of a local youth organization called Magic Bus that cares for the youth in Dharavi, providing sports and cultural programs. Ashvaria wants to become a doctor, preferably a dentist after grown up. Asha is not in school anymore. Because of failing in math’s she is now doing domestic work.

I am impressed by the warm hospitality of the people. We sat around half an hour or more in the bedroom of the family, which was not bigger then five square meters. Tea was served and we were talking and talking and the atmosphere was warm and friendly.

After that we went on, again following the lively stream floating down the streets of Dharavi. After enjoying lunch in a great south Indian dhaba, we went to Kumbharwada, the potter’s community. Finding ourselves in between of kilns made of brick and black smoke, we talked to the here living and working people. For the Diwali festival they will remove all ovens from the courtyard because there will be held pujas and religious rituals after Diwali. During that time no pottery will be done. After the puja the Kumbhars will build up the kilns again and the work will continue as usual. Clay will be shaped to matkas, garden pots, cups and all other things one can image is made of clay. After that the kilns will be filled with the crafted goods, which will then be sold. The work is hard, starts at 7 am and goes on until 7 pm every day. But their work makes the people proud, which you can see in there honest but friendly countenance.