Saturday 6 June 2009

Rediscovering Dharavi- Images,illusions,assumptions .

“ Dharavi is like “Sone Ki Chiriya” (a golden bird), if you let it free it would spread prosperity all over, but everybody wants to cage it for their personal gain…let’s hope that it retains it’s freedom in the future .” –anonymous, worker at Dharavi.8 th May, 2009.

I have been discovering and rediscovering Dharavi a many a times.While in India it was just an ordinary slum to me known of its expanse, crime and life as featured in the movies or documentaries. My bias introduction to the place was through the professional lens of photographers .They never talked about the rich livelihood over there.The images of naked children, the poverty, the struggle of their daily live was a commodity for their magazine cover pages.Although I was not naïve to the slums of India,Dharavi did’nt pertain to any such criteria to allow me to make an comparison.
I refrained myself from taking photographs as not to miss the experience that was so overwhelming…I was constantly comparing it with other slums of India and how Dharavi has emerged as a champion in the struggle.As the mini city moves towards it future...I see hope shining in the sparkling eyes of the people...I wish that those dreams are fulfilled...their "sone ki chiriya" remains free for ever.

Debeshi

2 comments:

  1. Nice post. Dharavi is a location for the Academy award winning movie SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia.Dharavi has a wide array of manufactured products like ceramics, leather items, tapestry, plastic items, bluejeans amongst several others.Dharavi is a backbone of Mumbai. Watch the plastic and metal reprocessing factory located on the eastern side of Mahim
    Station. For more details refer http://www.journeyidea.com/dharavi-slums-a-diamond-in-the-rough/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice post. Dharavi is a location for the Academy award winning movie SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia.Dharavi has a wide array of manufactured products like ceramics, leather items, tapestry, plastic items, bluejeans amongst several others.Dharavi is a backbone of Mumbai. Watch the plastic and metal reprocessing factory located on the eastern side of Mahim
    Station. For more details refer Dharavi Slums

    ReplyDelete