Mumbai has its own share of brutality, crime and vulgarity (lesser than Delhi). But it also has places to clean up things, minds, and CLOTHES. 2nd October being Gandhi Jayanti, (no better day to visit a bit of cleaning) I decided (with a equally work-less friend) to travel to a place called Dhobi Talao (Literally translating to Washer man's lake). The place is situated near Mahalakshmi Station on the Western railway line. Even though the name translates to Lake, there's no actual lake involved. For curious fellas, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhobi_Ghat
During the wait at the railway station, I managed to get some shots.
The blind man's assistant
The Canine's tools
Reduced with plight, yet maintaining it's ground
Your shiny boots, my Lifeline
An overview of the Dhobi Ghat, looking from above it seems to be kept hidden with clothes.
As soon as we entered the place, some people started staring at us and a man came running towards us. "Sir Photo nikalna hai ?(do you wan't to take photos?). As soon as we gave a affirmative nod, he said Rs.150 per person. I was amazed with how commercial things have become. From old times, when people used to wander aimlessly for free to charging for visiting laundromats, we have come a long way indeed. I thought let him earn and let us learn.
I just wanted to know that how the hell did the man get to know about us entering? This was answered as "Saab CCTV lagaya hai. Jaise hi koi baahar ka aata hai, hum ko phone aata hai" (Sir CCTVs have been installed and we are notified about any outsider's entry). I was completely amazed by the fact that CCTVs existed here.
The beginning consisted of a electric board, with all its wires sleeping over one another.
The guy guided us through the by-lanes, divulging information about the population (around 5000) to the sufferings, the festivals, Bollywood movie shoots, the water supply and things to be careful about Mostly the clothes arriving are from hospitals and companies. The Dhobi ghat works all around the year, except for Holi, when there is all play around.
Gathering some quality time with oneself
Through the eyes of the clothes
Our guide enlightened us about these rectangular partitions. A single rectangular block is called a stone (patthar in hindi) and there are people owning them. Currently a single block costs nothing less than 15 to 25 Lakh Rupees (1/4th of a Million rupees). The owner pays the washer-men working on his stone a daily wage. There are various sections, namely washing, bleaching, drying, Ironing etc.
The blocks of life 
Something for the belly
Draped on the clothesline
Denims on display
Is something wrong?
The hands against dirt
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| A glimpse of the inside |
Work in progress
Our guide thought we were reporters, shooting an inside story on the dark side of Dhobi Ghat. He showed us some people who work with harsh chemicals to get clothes rid of each type of impurity. This is one of the workers' hand, dying like a flower's petals due to the harsh chemicals. The workers here are paid a meager wage of Rs.250 for a day's work. The working hours range to14 hours a day.
The chemical hands
Hanging by a thin thread
Be Fair, even we want to be handsome
Wheels in filth
There are many alleys inside, where the families prepare food, feed their children and store their goods. It's ironical to see the Cleaning people living in filth themselves. The alleys are wide and there are innumerable unused carts, Jute bags with Food grains, cycles lying around.
Our guide in the alleys
Covered in filth
A desolated spot
Lighten up
Surrounded by shadows
A greek wedding theme
Scrubbing the stains
We wait for our turn to make yours clean (some workers' clothes)
A bit of blind faith
Generation gap
Lighting to extinguish the hunger in the belly
Oldies lying around
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| A family of clothes |
Enjoying a break
This was the end of our journey through the by-lanes and filthy alleys of Dhobi Ghat. I had always been amused by the Dhobi ghat as an entity. With many films having it as a backdrop to it finding mention in novels on Mumbai, visiting Dhobi Ghat was a revelation in its own. All festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm and the people are really accommodating. Knowing about the people working here to the confluence of religions, this trip (though we had to cut it short) was an eye-opener. People from different strata of society, living together for their bread and butter is really a sight worth watching.
