Tell me about the slums of Dhahawi.

[Edit this paragraph] Introduction Dhahawi is the largest slum in Mumbai, with an area of only 1.75 square kilometers and a population of one million. The slum mentioned in Slumdog Millionaire is the Indian slum of Dhahawi. With the release of Slumdog Millionaire, Dhahawi in Mumbai, the largest slum in Asia, is becoming a new tourist hotspot in the eyes of tourists. [Edit this paragraph] There are nearly 2,000 slums in Mumbai, and Dhahawi is the largest. The area here is only 1.75 square kilometers, but the number of residents reaches one million. The edge of Dhahawi lies on the rubbish dump. The men who live here are squatting on the ground in twos and threes to bask in the sun, and the puppies are chasing around among the "hills" formed by construction waste and domestic waste. Narrow and busy streets are filled with damp stench, which is the real situation of "slum tourism" in India.

Walking into the streets of Dhahawi, you may trip over the open sewers on the streets. The distance between houses here is only 6 inches (about 15 cm), and some houses even have four generations living under one roof. Most houses in slums are divided into upper and lower floors, separated by rough wooden boards, and the height of the ground floor and attic is less than 1.5 meters. The alley here is very complicated, and you often get lost when you turn around. The alley is full of recycled waste and domestic garbage, emitting a strong rancid smell. There are almost no public sanitation facilities in slums, with an average of one water pipe per 15 households; Most residents have no drainage system at home, and every 1440 people use a toilet. No one picks up garbage. ...

In Dhahawi, you can see a little boy running around naked, an old man tripping over a pile of recycled plastic products, a woman washing her hair at the door, a girl wearing a school uniform and a bow going to school together, and a young man gathering in a clearing to play cricket ... [Edit this paragraph] Just because Indian slum dwellers don't mean they are all destitute. They live and work here, often go to work or do business nearby, and even set up small workshops. When the poor in the slums of Dhahawi get together to watch TV, they become self-employed. Some places are famous for producing jewelry, and some places are famous for producing pottery ... These people living in slums have become real property owners, and individuals can even afford apartments, but they are still willing to live in slums because there are their "factories".

It is estimated that Dhahawi has 654.38+00000 small businesses, including pottery factories, clothing factories, tanneries and waste recycling companies. These enterprises create a GDP of 665 million US dollars every year. In the narrow alley, you can always see the sparks of welding and smell the cakes coming out of the oven in the dark shack.

Almost everyone here has a job, and some people even have more than one. But the average monthly income of Dhahawi residents is only $65,438+00. Most of the income goes to the rich who don't live in Dhahawi at all. [Edit this paragraph] Improvement of conditions "Usually, people think that slums are full of negative images: poor residents, high crime rate and drug abuse ... but Dhahawi is not like this." Although Dhahawi's slums lack sanitation facilities in Dhahawi, it is inappropriate to exaggerate the "terror" of slums. The residents there try their best to keep their houses perfect and tidy. Dhahawi is electrified, and tap water is regularly supplied for 3 hours every day. Some residents have televisions at home, and many people are equipped with mobile phones.

Some "slum owners" installed air conditioners that were regarded as luxury goods in India after the economic conditions improved. In slums, the government has also built practical public facilities, such as hospitals and schools.

According to the standards of rural India, Dhahawi is not particularly poor. Like other slums in India, it is gradually changing. The Indian government is currently supervising the reconstruction plan of Dhahawi community, which will bring new housing and environmental planning, at least to improve the poor living environment of residents here. [Edit this paragraph] Tourism fever India's "Slum Tour" only appeared in recent years. Tourists are not only foreigners, but also Indians who don't know about slums. They want to see what the place they pass through every day is like. And Dhahawi is not as poor as tourists think. There are many "characteristic industries" here.

Inspired by slum tourism in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Chris Wei, an accountant from Britain, founded Real Travel Company, which is also a leader in slum tourism in Dhahawi. Some TV programs and guidebooks have kept Mumbai's slum tourism stable, and the popularity of Slumdog Millionaire has also contributed.

The cost of visiting Dhahawi is very low. Pay $65,438+00 to visit for about two and a half hours, and 80% of the profits will be donated to charity. Most members of the tour group are backpackers, but some tourists leave the Taj Mahal Hotel for the slum for 500 dollars a day. Tourists are not only foreigners, but also Indians who don't know about slums. They want to see what the place they pass through every day is like.

"I used to take a Mumbai person to Dhahawi," said Krishna Pugari, the co-founder of Real Tour. "There were 12 of them, and they all said,' We pass by here every day, and we just want to see what's inside.' "

For tourists, Dhahawi residents have shown neither great welcome nor dissatisfaction. As Chris Wei said, Indians are used to being with many people. Although Dhahawi's infrastructure is poor, it is the economic activity center of Mumbai and a node in the global economy. [Edit this paragraph] The reaction to the film Slumdog Millionaire received rave reviews after it was released. Some slum audiences in India are flattered by the sudden attention from the whole world. I hope that the movie Slumdog Residents Celebrate Slumdog Millionaire [1] Winning the Oscar Award will lead more people to visit them and expect to get due attention. But some Indians think this film is too ugly for India.

Desouza is a social worker and lives in a slum in Dhahawi. His cabin once appeared in the movie. Although he hasn't seen this movie, Desouza firmly believes that this movie will change the living conditions of slum dwellers.

Amit Bahkahan, a Bollywood superstar, wrote in his blog: "Nationalists and patriots may be dissatisfied with this film ... but other Indian films made by themselves may not be so successful".

Madhar Bandaka, a filmmaker, said that movies are still very popular among big cities and young audiences. Amod Mora, an analyst, added that young audiences will watch movies because it amazes them in the western world.

Others believe that Slumdog Millionaire shows more about the living conditions of the people at the bottom of the whole Indian society. A critic named "Indian Knight" said that Slumdog Millionaire combined social conscience with pure entertainment. "I haven't seen such a good' mainstream' movie at the box office for 10 years."