A Day in the Mumbai Slums


The Mumbai slums were almost exactly what I expected them to be: blue tarps, corrugated rooftops, rubbish, foul odors, poverty on an extreme level.

But there were also more smiles than I expected. And a sense of community like I’ve never experienced before.

I walked through residential areas that broke my heart, had my heart lifted watching children go nuts over a game of cricket, saw makeshift prayer stations that represented nearly every religion under the sun, and watched a bustling business region keep the wheels spinning on the community.

The people in the slums seemed more friendly and, ironically, less likely to beg than in the city. That’s probably because they actually leave the slums to go beg in the city. But in any case, the energy was far more positive. And not once did I feel like I was in danger.

I’d been told not to take photos, out of respect for those who live there. And of course I obliged. But to my surprise, the people started asking me to take photos of them – especially the kids. They just love the camera! By that time, I’d already been walking through the slums for several hours and my camera missed so much amazing imagery. But the things I saw are forever etched in my memory.

Here’s what I did manage to capture.



















1 Comment

  1. adriana

    Again – incredible photos! What an interesting thing to get to see… thank you.

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