Want to see Mumbai’s underbelly? Take a guided tour! « A wide angle view of India

Are slum tours ethical?
While taking a tour of the Dhobi ghat may be alright, taking a tour through a slum, peeking into people’s misery, is a concept that makes me uneasy. It’s different if one is a researcher, a writer even, or a social worker…but to simply go and stare? As it says here:

It is a matter of disgrace for any society that claims to be a civilisation to mint money by exhibiting poverty and exposing slum dwellers to the pity of tourists. These residents are forced to exist in uninhabitable conditions because of mismanagement by the authorities. We should at least spare them the ignominy of being reduced to objects of pity.

Slum dwellers don’t seem to mind it, but does that make it right? But I know that I would never ever go on a slum tour, whether here or in any other country. We are a poor country and no one is denying it…but to make an exhibition of the poverty?

(The aerial view of Dharavi as well as Pune’s dhobi ghat are photos taken by me and the one of Mumbai’s dhobi ghat and the one inside of the slum have been linked to the originals.)

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Want to see Mumbai’s underbelly? Take a guided tour! « A wide angle view of India