Mumbai, week 1

March 2






The trip to Colaba by train was a very intense moment. People have the tradition to push one another into the train and a few of them are usually hanging outside of the train! It was not surprising that our first try getting on the train was unsuccessful. But do not have a wrong idea that the Indians are impolite or violent. Some of them helped us out with smiles on their faces. It is just the lack of spaces and the inpatient driver that have created these choatic problems.




March 3






The first day to explore Dharavi was very stressful. The non-stop sound of the traffic, the intense heat and the air pollution really drove me crazy! As a group of five, we explored the border condition of the southern part of Dharavi. It ended up that we got lost for 3 hours, but we have seen a lot on the way. I was kind of surprised to see the inhabitants of the slum are very friendly and cheerful, especially the children. There are always similes on their faces.



March 4




During the second day, we aimed to travel in and out of the slum area. It was the first day that we traveled to the 90ft. road, which was one of the major roads in Dharavi. Although some people were quite aggressive, but there was always a few that were very friendly and always asked for photos. The exploration inside the slum was outstanding. Within numerous small aisles, there are different kinds of shops. People are full of energy and work hard to earn their living.



March 5

In the reality tour, we went to study the area called 13 Compound, which involves heavy industrial work in Dharavi. Due to no camera policy, it was quite nice just to use my eyes to observe the surrounding. We visited the plastic recycling industries, went all the way to the roof top to see the “landscape” of metal sheets, talked to the students in the English learning center, and observed the food industries in Dharavi. It was an interesting tour, but the smells in some areas were unbearable.




March 6

We spent this day to organize a technique to represent a sensual map of the first two days of explorations. It was a challenge to represent the senses on a visual map. Therefore, we have decided to apply our extensive notes onto a timeline, which could map out the experience.



March 7




We went to the Sir J. J. College of Architecture to have some lectures. Rajiv Mishra, an architect, planner and valuer, was presenting his extensive research on the new development of Mumbai. I found it quite uncomfortable to listen to his lecture due to his lack of time and led to rush through the presentation.



March 8

In the city tour, we went to the Haji Ali Dargah, which is Mumbai’s most important Muslim shrine. The narrow stone causeway is a magnificent design. As the water level goes up, people cannot access to the shrine, which is in the middle of the water. This experience was unexpected. I have seen children swimming naked along the causeway casually. As a result, we all got wet but it was quite fun to walk with bared feet in the holy area.

March 9

We finally had the time to visit the Elephanta Island. The temples in the caves are magnificent, especially with the natural lighting. The craftsmanship is impressive. There were some monkeys having fun in the area and enjoying the gaze from the tourists. A group of dogs were sleeping under the tent. The extensive shops along the stairs of the 2km hike are very tempting, and it was fun to see some of the American tourists hired the “dolly” to climb to the destination.