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On our last day in Mumbai, we were debating going to Dharavi - one of the biggest slums in Asia. The slums were made famous by the movie Slumdog Millionaire (which, by the way, had an excellent soundtrack). As we asked around, some people said it was too risky while others shrugged saying there was nothing to see. Funny thing, the slums of Dharavi turned out to be a highlight of my trip in India.
Opting out of the many walking tours that were offered, my boyfriend and I decided to go on our own. Getting there was easy enough: We took the train from the Chhatrapati Shivaji (Mumbai Central) Station and arrived at the Dadar Station in Dharavi about 15 minutes later.
As soon as I got off the train, I noticed the entrepreneurial mindset of some of the residents of Dharavi. Across the street from the train station, a few families were weaving baskets of varying shapes and sizes. A little known fact is that Dharavi is actually a thriving community employing thousands of residents in different industries such as textiles, leather and pottery.
Most of these products are handmade in small households or workshops to then be exported all over the world. I was shocked to learn that the turnover was nearly $650 million each year! Unfortunately, the craftsmen/women only earn a very dismal amount from these profits. Their wages are very low, and working conditions can be incredibly challenging.
Although Dharavi is considered a slum, I really didn't see that much difference with any other given neighborhood in Mumbai. Mind you, I only visited a small portion of the humongous slum. I'm guessing some areas are worse than others.
One of the reasons I wanted to go to Dharavi was to meet the local craftsmen (mentioned above) but all the shops were closed on Sunday. The upside was that vendors were setting up their goods on the streets for the Sunday market.
Lucky for me, I was able to join the clusters of women on their weekend shopping. This beautiful girl (who spoke perfect English) helped me choose some lovely embroidered trimmings. She even bargained a great price for me hence the ridiculous smile on my face.
Walking tours of Dharavi warn against taking pictures but nobody seemed to mind especially not the children. They always enjoyed having their picture taken. While I was busy going through piles of trimmings, my boyfriend was playing tag with a bunch of kids. I was completely oblivious to all of this until he told me - trimmings will do that to a textile addict like me, haha!
Dharavi has a reputation for being dangerous and sketchy but I never feared for my safety. Of course, I don't suggest walking around alone at night but during the day it was fine. The people were some of the friendliest and most welcoming I met in India. I was often greeted with smiles and friendly hellos. Surprisingly, I wasn't bothered by any touts. In fact, most people went about their day not even giving me a second glance.
I wasn't sure what to expect going to Dharavi but the time I spent there turned out to be a truly wonderful experience. I would've gladly spent more time wandering around Dharavi but I had a bus to catch out of Mumbai. Thanks to the people of Dharavi, my visit to the slums was a highlight of my trip in India!
READ MORE ON INDIA:
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TRAVEL RESOURCES:
- Verify visa requirements for India on the official website
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- Stay connected using an Airalo E-sim for India
- Search for tours & excursions in India
- Shop for affordable travel insurance with SafetWing
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28 Responses
Kavita
What an incredible experience, and looks like your welcome was really warm and wonderful with no hint of danger or resentment from those you met. How refreshing to read about it. Did you take a photo of your purchases?
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
No I didn’t take a photo of the trimmings that I bought but I still have them. 🙂
Kallsy Page
Lately I keep finding these wonderful articles on places in India and I can’t stop dreaming about visiting! I’m now adding Dharavi to my itinerary. I, like you, would be rather obsessed with all of the textiles. How on earth could one select only a few? I would probably need an additional suitcase! 😉 I appreciate you noting that the area felt warm and welcoming even though some would regard it as unsafe. Like visiting any place it’s good to be cautious. 🙂
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Lucky you – I miss India! Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
I was ecstatic when I saw all the wares spread out on the ground…lol! It’s important to state that Dharavi is a huge slum and we only saw a fragment of it. Slumdog Millionaire showed some of the truths of Dharavi but, of course, there are so many other layers. We were very fortunate to have had this experience and the people of Dharavi were wonderful.
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Hi Sasha! I also miss India – it just has a way of getting under your skin doesn’t it?
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Hi Natalie! So happy you enjoyed this post. I think when visiting such places, it’s important to keep in mind that people live there, this is their home and we shouldn’t be treating it like a “tourist site”. We went just so we could meet some people and get a bit of insight into everyday life in the slums and that’s exactly what happened. As for textiles, India is a dream (I came back with a few)!
Clíodhna Ryan
I love supporting local craftspeople. I also love textiles so this sounds really interesting. With regards to not taking photographs, I think as long as you ask people’s permission and are careful with your possessions there shouldnt be a problem. I have seen people on tours snapping pictures of children without getting their parents permission which, as a teacher, doesn’t sit right with me. You got some beautiful photos and had a wonderful experience by the looks of it so well done for stepping off the beaten path.
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
I despise when travelers stick their cameras in people’s faces (especially children)! Nothing wrong with taking a picture of a crowd but asking permission for an individual picture is the right thing to do. And Dharavi was wonderful – I wish we could’ve spent more time there.
Ivy
I loved Slumdog Millionaire! Such a good movie. I would be a little sketched out traveling to places that have an unsafe reputation but I’m glad you guys enjoyed your time there! The people there seem super friendly. First Tibet, now Dharavi- you go to the coolest places, Lydia! 🙂
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Hi Ivy! Dharavi was definitely an eye-opener. I was moved by everyone’s genuine kindness and warm smiles. It was a very memorable experience. By the way, I didn’t go to Tibet (I wish!), I went to McLeod-Ganj which is in Northern India. 😉
Ty Janee
I always notice that places I don’t expect to be all that great, are the ones that take my breath away. I love that you decided to be every ounce of authentic on your trip and connected with the locals on a personal level by helping them to provide for their families. I will definite add this to my list of things to do!
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Hi Ty! Thank you so much for your kind words. It’s true that we’re often surprised by unexpected places which is one of the great things about traveling. 🙂
Lydia@Lifeuntraveled.com
Hi Suz! My boyfriend and I don’t like tours of any kind. We both find it takes away from having a genuine experience and limits our freedom and flexibility so we decided to go on our own. I felt totally safe going alone with him. 🙂
P.S. Get to India now!! 😉 It’s an amazing, fascinating and crazy country.