Dhobi Ghat – Bombay Laundry

India Jan08 48 of 193

A unique feature of Mumbai, the dhobi is a traditional laundryman, who will collect your dirty linen, wash it, and return it neatly pressed to your doorstep. All for a pittance. The “laundries” are called “ghats”: row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next they are ironed and piled into neat bundles. The most famous of these Dhobi Ghats is at Saat Rasta near Mahalaxmi Station where almost two hundred dhobis and their families work together in what has always been a hereditary occupation.
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There are rows of open-air concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. Called the world’s largest outdoor laundry, Dhobi Ghat is a very popular attraction among foreign tourists. It is located next to Mahalaxmi railway station on the Western Railway’s Saat Rasta roundabout and can be easily seen from flyover bridge of Mahalaxmi station.

Dhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaDhabi Ghat, Mumbai, IndiaThe word Dhobi Ghat is used all over India to refer to any place where many washers are present. A Bollywood movie of the same name, Dhobi Ghat, was released on 21 January, 2011 in India.

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Stubborn stains are removed by soaking garments in a boiling vat of caustic soda; drying takes place on long, brightly colored lines; and heavy wood-burning irons are used for pressing. At the very least, it’s a great photo opportunity, though most locals think it rather amusing that their everyday work arouses such curiosity.
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Most tourists only view this giant laundry from the overhead bridge but to get the real feel and buzz if the place and get some great close up photographs you have to get inside. A small “tip” offered to the man on the entrance got me inside and I spent the next hour freely roaming around the area with my camera. The place is full of activity and vivid colour so for a photographer it’s a great location shoot.
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Clothes are sent here from all of the city and then the hundreds of workers (many of whom live there on site) will toil away washing, drying and ironing the clothes. After washing and pounding the clothes in the wash pits, the clothes are dried on numerous washing lines or on the tin roof of the buildings then ironed using traditional charcoal fired heavy irons. They even had an area where they used buckets with blue dye to re-colour faded jeans. What is really amazing is how everyone gets their own laundry items back after they are split out for washing, drying and then ironing.

Passionate Photographer …. Lost in Asia

Stuart Taylor of HighlanderImages Photography has been making images for over 25 years and can offer a diverse range of photo imaging services with a focus on Asia and a documentary/photojournalistic style. These services include planning and executing a photo shoot on location but importantly all the post-processing and image preparation needed for the specific finished media format required by the customer. Stuart’s experience and knowledge in all of these aspects makes HighlanderImages Photography a one-stop-shop for a comprehensive and professional image production service.

Stuart can be available for a variety individual assignments or projects and he specialises in areas such as photojournalism, commercial, architectural, real estate, industrial, interior design, corporate, urbex, adventure, wilderness and travel photography. Stuart can also offer some innovative and advanced techniques such as HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Panoramic Photography.

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