Visiting Dharavi ...a real privelege

Today is my last day in India..for now .I will 100% return. I asked to visit the Slum area .Although I was interested to see this part of Mumbai, I was also conflicted. I didn't want the people in the slum to think I saw them.as a spectator sport
I was met by my guide Amaan and waz utterly taken aback. He reminded me soo much of Munir to look at ,I felt myself take a big deep breath and gulp ...and so the tour started .
Amaan is from.the slum.area and told me 2million people live on a 10 acre area. He was articulate, knowledgeable ,well presented and charming..He was very keen to show the area in a positive light .He is studying computer science at college and the guide role pays towards his education.
I asked if his studies would lead to moving away from the slum, but he said not ,as he has so.many friends and family there.
He recognises as a young adult,he has a responsibility to look after his family.Pre - covid he had aspirations of going in the Navy ,but Covid changed that ,so he Took up thr computer studies fathers than doing nothing
Amaan's family, all 33 of them live in a 6 bed place on the edges of the slum.
The slum area is the 2nd most visited place in India after the Taj.
People of all faiths co -exist without problems.
Children do get chance of a Government funded education up to 10th grade .
Healthcare is available at Government hospitals but also private hospitals and clinics .
The people in the slum.have my absolute respect....they are working hard and making the best of their very challenging situation.
I saw people making bags ,suitcases and clothes. It's piecework..paid per item....so.they have the skill to finish a whole garment in 7minutes .
People also worked making clay pots ,this involved a lot of smoke ,which cant be good for the chest . The fuel used to harden the pots was created by burning the rag cuttings from the clothes making.
Some men were making soap out of animal bones and chopping into blocks . They were laughing and.smiling ,despite their environment, which wasn't great .
There was a Bakery and I was given a flaky pastry...which was really nice .
I saw 2 barbers...and several restaurants ,though they don't fulfil a western perception of a restaurant.
Amaan told me that the goat outside one restaurant would be in the Biryani soon!
There were free roaming ducks and a horse.
In the children's play area, there was a sheep and a goat plus quite a lot of rubbish ,but the children were gorgeous and smiley and asked me my name in perfect English, even though they were only about 6yrs old .
By far the greatest industry is plastic recycling..Amaan told me that in an hour 600 tons can be cleared and recycled.
There were sacks of plastic everywhere !
It's chopped in pieces, cleaned and left to dry on the roof. Taking it up to the roof ,is labour intensive,climbing steep ladders in the heat, to put the plastic on the roof. The plastic is ground into crystals .It was extremely difficult to see a man in a dark room / space walking barefoot on the plastic rubbish and sorting through it with his bare hands .
There were many flies in this area and its the one and only time, I felt particularly queasy .
I asked if there was access to masks and gloves. I was told they weren't worn during covid ,so not going to wear them now.
There's also leather dyeing and clothes dyeing industries.
One guy has adapted a bicycle to create a machine which he pedals it to make it work ,in order grind things and sharpen tools.It was genius innovation.
Nothing is wasted ,despite appearances to the contrary, so much recycling happens, because the people literally cannot afford to waste anything.
Amaan took me to the residential area.
This was stark..the ground was strewn with mud and rubbish, as well as protuding pipes. Overhead the electric wires hung down, even to the point of touching the top of my head .
Amaan said ," I'll now show you Night in the daytime "as we entered the thinnest darkest network of alleyways...literally just about wide enough for me to walk, with my shoulders almost touching the walls on each side. Underfoot was uneven with protuding pipes...I couldn't see the far end of the alleyway from the start of it.
In the alleyways, buildings with doors spaces that had a curtain over the space.
Behind the curtain,whole families live in one space.There are no bathrooms and there is no running water. 480people share a public bathroom. The queue each morning is immense .
It is the most thought provoking and incredible place. It has impacted on my perspective of those in UK ,who have the ability to do something, but maybe don't do so ...
At the end of the tour I felt really emotional. Amaan,with wisdom and sensitivity beyond his years years ,said he hopes Munir and I will be reunited in heaven one day.
He will look forward to my return and will introduce me to his family and cook a Biryani .( hopefully not with that goat we had seen ,as I cant go back for a while!)
I was going to the airport after this experience and had cash to exchange back into UK currency .I decided instead to give my remaining funds to Amaan .I told him I didn't want to offend him.by giving the bigger than needed tip but felt I'd like him.to be able to do something nice for his family. He thanked me and said it would go towards education.
Mum would be delighted and after all.its thanks to her and Dad ,I am able to have these experiences.
An incredible experience as a finale to my time in India 🇮🇳
My guide and driver took me to the airport.I was extremely early and in stark contrast to where I had just come from headed first to the general airside area and in due course to the Business class lounge. In the entrance there was a huge fuss going on which turned out to be a giant Christmas cake mixing event ..Somehow my nosiness, resulted in my being invited to have a go at the mixing and umpteen photos were taken. It was Hilarious 😂 😃!!
It had been a hot morning walking round and I felt I needed a shower, so I was astounded and delighted to discover that the business lounge had actually got a spa and showers.So,I did indeed have a shower! Another Hilarious experience. Never did I expect to be able to have a shower in a business class lounge setting...Then, I was told it's possible to have a 15min free foot massage, so I did .Feeling very refreshed, I went to investigate the business class food ....Having been incredibly cautious about food while in India, I knew this food would be ok. I tried not to have too much ,as can be air sick ,but it was all really lovely.
Time to fly ...and wonderful to be in Business class...space to move and put things..I had a chat with the Pursar ,who was from Poland 🇵🇱 😀..lovely lady.I.told her I am obsessed with Emirates and did apply for a job years ago
And then it happened...the crew on the Mumbai to Dubai flight came with a tray.On the tray a beautiful cake with 2 macaroons.It was surrounded by roses and an.orchid.it had chocolate saying Bon Voyage.I was so delighted. They said its because I am obsessed with Emirates. However, I think it stems from a joking conversation I'd had with the guy I spoke to at Emirates, when booking the tickets .He asked if it was my birthday when flying as he could get me a cake .I told him.the.whole story behind my going to India and that it would have been Munir's birthday 🎂. He said ,I can get you a cake if you like.Imagine Emirates remembering to do a cake just for me and making sure it got on the correct flight.....its only fuelled the obsession 😉!🤣.
I had a long wait in the Business lounge at Dubai where there's also showers and a quiet area individual recliner couches .I did use one but was really worried bout falling asleep and missing my flight .The lady on the opposite recliner was zonked!
Simply the most incredible 24hrs of Sharply contrasting experiences.All wonderful though.Read more