What is the story behind Asia's largest slum?

Dharavi is one of the largest slums in the world and the largest slum in Asia. It is inhabited by millions of people, working and changing the face of Mumbai. But, how did it come to be and what is the story behind it?

Map of Dharavi, Mumbai. Image Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons.

The world of slums and the story of those inhabiting them has been brought to light through various documentaries and movies. One of them is the Academy Award Winning Movie Slumdog Millionaire which captures the heart of Asia’s largest slum dwelling in Mumbai- Dharavi. But, why was this slum created and how did it turn out to become an industry of its own where all kinds of people working on leather, stones, pottery have gained a renowned illegal market in the international spheres of the world?

To begin with the story of Dharavi, one needs to know a little about the geographical landscape that persisted during its birth. During pre-colonial India, present-day Mumbai was a group of seven islands on the coast of the Arabian Sea. The Dharavi region located on the island of Parel right next to the Mahim Creek was inhabited by the Koli fishing community.

In the 16th century, the Portuguese constructed a church and small fort opposite Dharavi, rarely interfering with the functioning of the fishing community. In 1737 the British built Riwa Fort, also known as the Kala Quila that served as a place from where the Britishers could guard themselves against any attack by the Marathas or the Portuguese.

The seven islands were a part of the Portuguese territory that was handed over to Charles II after his marriage to Catherine Braganza as a dowry. Charles II leased out these islands to the English East India Company and merged them into one single region, leaving Parel to become an outskirt of this reclaimed Bombay in the 18th century. This had a major impact on the fishing community as the Mahim Creek dried up and the former lost their source of livelihood.

A sudden shift took place in the inhabitants of the Dharavi region. Many fishers moved to other places in search of better opportunities. Migrants from Maharashtra, Konkan, Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu came to Bombay with a hope to gain from the opportunities the colonized industrial Bombay offered. However, Indians had no place in Bombay other than the region of Dharavi. Migrants started to move away from South Bombay and found a place in the clusters of Dharavi.

Dharavi not only became a region of heterogeneous people who migrated from all over the country, but also inhabited a variety of people skilled in pottery, leatherwork, confectionaries, artisans, embroidery workers, and many more. The fishing huts and the swampy land changed into smoky skylines with textile mills and potters all around. Soon enough, this place turned into an artist’s wonderland where unique and distinctive crafts took root.

But how did a paradise of craft turn into the squatters and waste we know of Dharavi today? This happened during the eviction drive that took place during the post-independence period. The eviction drive removed ‘illegal’ pavement dwellers and the ‘dirt’ of Bombay and moved them to Dharavi. The region soon started to expand at an unprecedented rate and could no longer be ignored by the authorities and soon started with the redevelopment and revamping plans, strongly disagreed with by the inhabitants. They are against the redevelopment projects and don’t want to be a part of a multi-storied dynamic that might make them suffer even more.

While the geographical landscape of Dharavi still suffers, there is one unique feature about it that is quite surprising for a lot of us. Not only is Dharavi the ‘oxygen’ of Mumbai, but it is also a known fact that without its existence, Mumbai will collapse within two days. Why is it so? With numerous small businesses and ventures, Dharavi produces more or less a turnover of USD 650 million as thousands of families work day-in and day-out as sweepers, waiters, maids, and many more. Not only this, the products made by the families living in Dharavi are sold all over the world, capturing the markets of economic powers like the USA, Europe and various South East Asian countries.

The saying, “never judge a book by its cover” goes greatly when one talks about Dharavi. As one comes across a different house after two steps of walking, one also has to realize the potential and the skill these people hold. They have suffered throughout history with discrimination, unhygienic lifestyle, limited resources, and yet, they have and will continue to strive with the power of the creativity that drives them.

Houses in Dharavi. Image Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons