An intimate peep into Dharavi's streets and its food, all virtually

Geetanjali Krishna takes a stroll around Asia's largest slum and gets a hands-on cooking lesson

The temperature is in the mid-30s. I’m going on a walking tour of Dharavi, Mumbai. In pre-Covid times, this would have entailed carrying a water bottle, scarf, sunscreen and sunglasses. Today, I switch on the air-conditioner, settle down on my favourite armchair and log in to Zoom, where my guide Shailesh Jethwa awaits. Curated by tourHQ, an online platform that connects travellers with tourism service providers, this tour promises virtual tourists an intimate peep into life in Dharavi and a taste of its street food. 

We start with a tour of Jethwa’s house in Kumbharwada (literally, neighbourhood of potters), a unique vertical structure with iron ladders going to upper floors. Three generations of his family have lived here. In some ways, their story parallels the stories of many in Dharavi. Born to parents who haven’t even completed primary school, Jethwa has a Masters in Chemistry while his two siblings have B Com degrees. “When I was young, there was just one school in Dharavi — today there are a dozen!” he says. From a one-bedroom shanty, his house now spans three floors with en suite bathrooms, a well-equipped kitchen and air-conditioners. His bedroom (“…and international office!” Jethwa quips) is on the third floor. From this vantage point, we look around the neighbourhood. 

One of the oldest settlements of Dharavi, Kumbharwada usually bustles with activity. Today, nothing but a temple bell breaks the silence of the lockdown. Jethwa points out a temple here, a mosque there. “Many call Dharavi mini India,” he says. “People from diverse states and different faiths live harmoniously together here.” Cheap rentals and abundant employment opportunities make Dharavi a popular place to live, he says. Pointing to classic Mumbai high rises on the horizon, he adds: “While those flats cost at least Rs 5 crore, my house would cost only about Rs 20 lakh.” There are other reasons why migrants to Mumbai like to live in Dharavi (and why it’s 20 times more densely populated than the rest of Mumbai). “Let’s go for a walk and you’ll see,” he promises. 

Children play cautiously by their doorsteps. Dharavi has over 1,900 cases of Covid-19 infection, so everyone’s being extra careful, Jethwa says. Beyond this narrow alley are barricades. “The military might chase us back if we go there,” he says. Instead, we stop by a pottery kiln where unbaked earthenware have been left to dry. Many potters here are women, Jethwa tells me: “They can watch their children and work simultaneously.” Up ahead is the neighbourhood where leather goods are made. “Dharavi is the second largest leather manufacturing area in India after Chennai,” Jethwa tells me.Another part of the slum recycles 60 per cent of Mumbai’s plastic waste. “This entrepreneurial spirit makes Dharavi unique,” he says proudly. “We’re the real life Slumdog Millionaires and together do $650 million of business every year!” 

Back home, his newly wed wife, Kajal, has laid out the ingredients for batata vada and green peanut chutney for our cooking class. I’ve done the same so that I can taste the flavours of  Dharavi in my own kitchen. We prepare the chickpea batter, adding her secret ingredient, some lemon juice (for added crunch and flavour, she discloses). The potato stuffing is next, made with more green chillies than I can handle. “Do add them for authenticity of flavour,” she urges. “Even my foreign clients enjoy the spice!” The stuffing done, we make the green chutney with coriander, mint, raw mango and peanuts. Then we both shape the stuffing, coat it with batter and deep fry the vadas. It’s delicious. Vandana Om Kumar, co-founder of tourHQ, says that their curated online experiences have become so popular that they believe this travel trend is here to stay even in the post-Covid-19 era. She’s got a point. I’ve also found the experience more engaging than I’d expected. And the best thing? Whenever I remember my virtual walk in Dharavi, I can fry some batata vadas to add flavor to my memories!

The tour costs $10 per person and can be found here: https://www. tour hq.com /tickets /walking-tour-of-dharavi-the-home-of-slumdog-millionaire