Mumbai: The Final Destination
24/1/23
First day out and we are booked in for the slums tour. The tour is about 3 hours, walking through their homes and workplaces.
Belle had done this 10 years ago and suggested I’d love it also.
I was blown away, by how emotional I became. Our guide explained he’d gown up in the slums. Lived for 5 years specifically in the one we are visiting. The name is Dharavi and was the place Slum Dog Millionaire was filmed in. He explains the actual story of the movie is about another slum.
Also if you’ve read and watched Shanaram, you’d have a vibe of what I am talking about.
Currently, the government over here is trying to rework the slums. The new President over here, which everyone loves, because he came from the slums. Is working with the bidder who won the contract to start the changes, for around $100000k . Which is one home in Australia.
Dharavi contains approximately one million people, which is one million votes. So although some people in slums want change, some do not. And no politician wants to rock that many votes.
If you were settled in the slums prior to 1995 you are considered legal and the government will assist you. If you arrive after it’s considered illegal, the government is still going to help. Yet that help is being relocated and no one wants to leave. They would rather stay in the slums than get a new apartment. Why? Because of community.
In there everything works like clockwork. The place generates one billion a year with its trades. They recycle plastics and sell them back to make mobile phones, computers, etc. There is a textiles section, they colour-match and dye the white material and make lengths of it. Make PJs which look very similar to Perter Alexander. There is a leather factory, goats, water buffalo, and sheep. A sneaky shop which we purchase leather bags, to support of course.
Our guide said he and most of them would rather stay where there is a strong sense of community. Ahhh, how we have it so wrong in the West. We have isolated, and out government did a great job of pushing that even further. So peoples biggest fears are loneliness and no sense of purpose, getting stuck in your own head rather than having a focus outside yourself and the support of family like friends. Mums are not supposed to raise kids on their own. It takes a village because it should.
While in there, people smiled said hello. Everyone seems genuinely happy. No begging, they don’t even try and sell to us.
I love seeing the kids all dressed immaculately for school, it was the same in Rote Indonesia. Pressed clean shirts, combed hair - I don’t think anyone rolls out looking this sharp. Certainly not me. Travel makes you beautiful on the inside, as for the external and maintenance I have a lot to answer for right now.
Straight up to the opposite side of the spectrum.
We spend our afternoon jewellery shopping. It’s such a fun process over here, they bring trays and a tray of rings and necklaces. We take our time to select some pieces for presents and perhaps ourselves. Belle knows her stuff, so ensures me it’s great prices and I need them.
Colaba is the dinner destination, where Leopolds is located. Again if you read Shantaram - you know what I am talking about.
25/1/23
As we leave the Grand Hotel and head for the last and fanciest hotel of the trip. It’s always nice to end with comfort. They show us the breakfast bar and its an amzing spread, we fuel up before shopping. Fashion street is the local special price really real brands - at a great price of course. A few hours here and we are sorted - ready to see our room with a marine Drive view and dressed for our High tea at the Taj Mahal Palace.
