Dharavi: Slum of Mumbai Aspiration of 21 Century
Welcome Readers in the blog post “Dharavi: Slum of Mumbai Aspiration of 21 Century” ! Let’s take look into deeper insight of International Level biggest Slums may world’s third largest slums. This blog post is dedicated to residents of Dharavi who create their identity internationally. Usually slums are recognizing are highly populated urban area of characteristics of poverty. Characteristics of all slums are there are not like not enough toilets, not enough water, not enough space, narrow lanes; ramshackle buildings, open sewers and these open sewers always become playgrounds for children. All this things you can see in this slum. This slum is not only slum but a unique community in addition to as an example of multicultural nature. Surely, This slum is figure that count worldwide so it is necessary to look at the international figures of slums that are recognize are as follows:-
‘Orangi Town’ in Karachi, Pakistan Population 2400000
‘Neza’, Mexico Population 1200000
‘Dharavi’, Mumbai, India Population 1000000 per 2.1 square kilometer
Why Slum of Dharavi is so important
This slum is a hidden market where unskilled human turns into skilled labor and that turns India’s largest slum into a aspiration business regional slum with approximately 20,000 small-scale manufacturing units. In this slum reported to employ approximately 250,000 people according to local peoples. It has been in the limelight a number of times many reasons. Many books are written and many films picture of this slum is about unique, vibrant, couple with thriving ‘cottage’ industry complex, the only one of its kind in the world. May be in this slum misery is everywhere but people here do not speak of being miserable. People speak about trying to get ahead. Under all miserable conditions, they believe in hardship & entrepreneurship. This slum is only slum that is example of self-sufficient, self-sustaining ‘village’ community. Here peoples usually seen to be speaking more than 18 languages. According to local municipal data, this slum is slum where 60 primarily schools 13 secondary schools and 8 private schools where literacy rate is 69%. This slum is a place where you can see youngsters practicing playing rap songs. Now days craze of slum Tourism in this slum is on the rise among foreign tourism. It is not difficult to say that ‘Dharavi slum tourism’ now become India’s favorite sustainable travel experience that may be beat the iconic Taj Mahal Tourism.
What is Dharavi slum facts
This slum is more than slum being despite of its harsh social, health and economic conditions of slum may be called ‘Slum of Aspiration’. This slum is self-created special economic zone made by the poor, of the poor and for the poor. It is special type of entrepreneur slum hub. This slum is a place where entrepreneurship and business works in every hut & house where every family is involved in businesses. In this slum each business is owned generation after generation. This slum create its international identity without governmental effort to plan or invest in any infrastructure. This slum is real sense of community building and togetherness inside. This slum have a skilled labor force, as well as cheap costs for workshops and workers, and informal networks between suppliers, middlemen and workshops we can see there.
History of formation of Dharavi area
Koliwada
At present days this slum is located in the heart of India’s financial capital that is Mumbai said to be city within the city is close to the Bandra Kurla Complex, which is one of the richest business hubs in Asia. This slumis considering unique informal human settlement. This slum is firstly inhabitant at Mahim Creek which is northernmost tip of the island of Parel. Former Mumbai is Island that is made up of 7 islands. Mahim creek is one of them which area was of creeks, Mangroves swamps. This slum is habitant for Koli peoples of fishing community firstly which provided their livelihood for hundreds of years which became a fishing village. That Koliwada shows its presence in Dharavi till date.
Kala Killa
British built the Riwa Fort at this slum in 1737 which is now days called as Kala Killa for the military security pursue. At present this Kala Killa is in ruin stage. Major part of This slum is surrounded Kala Killa region & Ahshok Mill Compound.
Reclamation of Creeks of Mumbai Islands
Due to urbanization of Mumbai all the seven islands were joined, swamp filled natural and man-made requirements. In source of livelihood most Koli community started migration from Mahim Creek and dispersed towards brighter locations nearby 1850s, after decades of urban growth under East India Company.
Formation of Dharavi slum
Formation of this slum was started in 1884 during the British colonial era in Mahim creek. This area started for use as continued to serve as waste-dumping grounds for newly formed Bombay Presidency under East India Company. The first tannery transferred from peninsular Bombay into this slum. Urbanization of Bombay started to it become industrialized, tanners began settling in the area. Manufacturing & processing of Products regarding horses & military infantry started in this area. Drawn by search for a job & livelihood, migration started from rural India to this slum Migrants began arriving & worked with leather are mostly from dispersed caste of Hindu & Muslim community. This is starting of economic revolution of poor migrants inhabitant slum to International identify slum.
What is Dharavi famous for
Identity of slums like narrow dirty lanes, open sewers, without provision for sanitation, drains, safe drinking water, roads or other basic services of this slum overcome obstacles & create the human settlement in the history. This slum is notorious but become great example of successful settlement with a vibrant multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and diverse community and economy growth of the poor by the poor migrants. Mumbai formerly known as Bombay continued to grow due to rural migrants looking for jobs as a result in the city small scale factories grew up. There and small huts convert as small-scale household manufacturing business operations. Productive activity started takes place in nearly every home; each house will have a ground floor and an additional floor for business activity. Terrace and a courtyard also used for these home-based business activities. This slum is Slum with miracle a literacy rate of 69% of various spoken language, of various religions like 63% all lower class Hindu religion, Muslim 30%, Christian 6% mostly religious conversion by Koli Fishermen community, Buddhist 1% with Marathi & Hindi mostly spoken & understood in this slum.
Business in Dharavi
Manufacturing of Dentures or Artificial teeth
Manufacturing of Dentures or Artificial Teeth & supplied to well known Dentist of Mumbai & nearby mumbai.
@Saisha Dant Kala, near Kumbharwada signal of this slum
Whatsapp 9930251958/9870136828
Dharavi Leather Market
This slum is basically establish for leather work by British rule. This slum cannot separate from Leather Industry. In this leather processing animal skin like Sheep, Buffal , Goat collected from slaughter houses for processing into leather. This slum provides leather for limelight big lifestyle and luxury products brands from Zara and Giorgio Armani to local brands. All leather products are process and manufactured at this slum. Later on leather unit like tanneries was ban for environmental reasons nearby 2015 Maharashtra government order & leather tanneries shifted to Kanpur and Chennai.
Dharavi Pottery business of Kumbharwada & women entrepreneurship in Dharavi
Kumbharwada is symbolism of women entrepreneurship in this slum which is neighborhood in this slum at 90feet road. Kumbharwada is area of Pottery of clay manufacturing. Nearby 120 kilns and workshops are in Kumbharwada. Potters are mostly from Saurashtra and Kutch region migrated people of India. Finished items you can see displayed along the streets of 90feet road of Kumbharwada. Kumbharwada show a good example of women entrepreneurship in this slum.
Dharavi Recycling Industry: Processing recyclable waste from other parts
Dharavi economy runs on recycling and Mumbai’s plastic waste which is recycled at this slumin Jalil Compound near Mahim. Nothing is wasted in this slum. Waste material reuse in manufacturing of other small material which has sellable value. This slum is expert in buying your crap from city and sell it back to you for a profit! Plastic recycle is one example of best from the waste in this slum.
Manufacture clothing – Bareilly Compound Dharavi area
Several families mostly from Bareilly Compound & Jalil Compound involves in cloth processing like wooden block having a desired pattern on the cloth.
Food of Dharavi
Idilis, wada & Dosa provides regular meals not migrant labor but local people of all over Mumbai also. All the Idili & Dosa hawkers are mostly residents of this slum. Idili & Wada hawkers mostly comes from this slum. There is large number of factories of manufacturing idilis & wada which process starts early in the mid night nearby 2 AM.
Manufacturing of corporate Gifting Items in Dharavi area
Manufacturing of promotional gifting product which is available in all shapes, sizes and designs where you can be engraving your brand’s logo and message for your business promotions.
Embroidery Work
Ready-made garments manufacturing
Pastry & Papads manufacturing
Mirror Work Business in Dharavi at 60 ft Road
Two wheeler spare part market in Dharavi at Mahim-Sion Link Road
Salty snacks called as Farsan manufacturing
Various businesses live in support of each other and production chains are linked across each other in this slum. Skilled workers can earn up to 1500 rupees per day and send back to their families at rural places. Women living in the slums are worked as labor, many of whom have taken the lead and for feeding of their families. This slum exports goods around the world with brand name ‘Products made in this slum from leather goods, electronics, plastic containers, pottery to corporate gifting products. In short, this slum is overcome from all misery and create its own steppingstone.
How to go at Dharavi
Nearest Local Railway Stations- Sion, Mahim, Matunga
Nearest Air Port- Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Santacruz & Sahar
Roadways- Eastern Express highway
This slum is in the heart of city and surrounded by the town of Mumbai with two main suburban Central & Western Local rail lines with Local railway station like Dadar, Sion, Wadala, Mahim & Matunaga which makes it convenient for people to go to work and Mithi river on the third side. The 60ft road divide this slum in two parts that’s are Mahim Dharavi & Sion Dharavi. Three main roads are in this slum that’s are 60 ft Road, 90 ft road & most important Dharavi main Road which is in between heart of this slum. Bandra-Sion link road is outside road connectivity to Eastern Express Highway.
Conclusion
At rest in conclusion, above all entrepreneurship of one slum overcome from all misery, there is dark side of this slum also. Although this slum is self created special economic zone, although as tourist point of view This slum is a place is fascinating and inspiring, but human point of view it is not so good. As matter of fact, there is lacks any kind of infrastructure, like roads, public conveniences, and toilets. People use common latrines and water taps. Labors from six to ten in numbers lives into a single, tiny room. Slum always suffer in every pandemic from several year. Nearby Government Sion hospital always full with residents of this slum. Government of Maharashtra is taking initiative to redevelop the Slum. This is good decision taken by government to give good infrastructure to the residents of Slum. But here is one fear also because of land of Dharavi is prime real estate location, in the redevelopment process home base small businesses may get over. In Dharavi ‘History may be repeat itself again’. Dharavi slum formation done by migration of people to this slumbut after ‘Dharavi Redevelopment Project’ migration of skilled worker from Dharavi may be start outside Dharavi in search of another place and there is possibility that this slumcan lose its International unique identity. This blog post is dedicated to residents of this slum who lived long decade and established its identity internationally. I am eye witness of present of this slum to future of Dharavi. I will be the eye witness this future transformation of this slum. I like to state that I work as entrepreneur in Dharavi. I hope that, I will again come back to you with new blog post on Dharavi after transformation of Dharavi completes. Keep reading!
Thank you.
AriyaBiz.com
samyaknet@gmail.com
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