Mumbai, India.

Not for nothing that Slum Dog Millionaire was shot in Mumbai, also named City of Slums.
The contrasts in Mumbai are huge; there is endless poverty as well as obscene wealth.

Although the slums look like one poor mess, in fact they are sort of cities within the city with their own dynamics and economy.
There are families with specific trades, tiny factories, etc. and it is said that the annual business turnover from Dharavi, Mumbai’s biggest slum, is US$ 650 million!
On the outside everything looks dirty, broken, ugly, but inside the little sheds it seems to be impeccable, so I have read. Families of 10 people may be living, working, sleeping and cooking in such a tiny shed and sometimes people will sleep in shifts. People sometimes rent a mattress and a place to sleep for e.g. each day from 2 till 9. After that somebody else sleeps there.
Often there is a TV, hence the satellite dishes here and there. And often there is a small stove or kitchen and electricity.

Mumbai itself is huge; about 17 million people live here.

OK, back to ‘our’ street. It is a very busy street; people, businesses, traffic, noise, smells….

When we arrived, it turned out to be a big festive day for the Hindi. Partytime at ‘our’ slum!

The entrance to the main street was decorated and in the eve the party broke loose: drumming, singing, parading trucks with XXL speakers and Indian house music, white cows with pink fabrics draped over them, fireworks and lots of people dancing in the street and quickly drawing figures on the street with colored powders (Gulal) while walking and dancing.
We felt like being in the middle of all the noise, even at 15 high; unbelievable.

Apart from that we are woken early in the mornings by the loud and -for our ears- horrible chanting for the Muslims.

Look carefully and see the two white cows with the pink fabrics, pulling a car.

Quickly grabbing some hands full of color powder from a wagon in the parade and draw flowers etc on the street.

The ceremonial cows.

From within a taxi, stuck in traffic.

Trucks are called ‘Goods carriers’ and are nicely decorated. Looks a bit like the argentinian Fileteados style. Funny to see not very romantic objects such as trucks being so flowery and romantically decorated;-).

Even this construction machine gets a flowery touch;-).

The city is filled with black and yellow cabs. They look cute, with their vintage FIAT model, the luggage racks on top and the free/for hire-box outside.

Both the car itself as the rack on top can be used e.g. for drying laundry….

…for sleeping in or ‘under’…

The tiny tricycles are very handy in congested traffic or in small streets.

As are the small tricycle trucks.

The tailors often work in the tiniest ateliers/shops.

Cement and ornaments.

Hairdresser on the street.

The broom- and brush vendor.

Ice vendor.

While photographing murals, this girl insisted on being in the pic as well;-).

Lots of stray dogs and cats.

The wax figurines.

I bought a heart (for my mother), teeth (for a friend) and a woman figurine (for myself).

Then you can lay it at this outdoor altar for the sun to melt. Notice also the wax money and wax houses?

Or put it on the fire here. The ground around was so covered with wax that my shoes got sticky.

Lots of religious paraphernalia were sold around the church. Ofcourse I bought some;-)

Suddenly almost a Kampong feel!