dhobi ghat visit

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Behind the Scenes at Mumbai's 140-Year-Old Dhobi Ghat

Dhobi Ghat is Mumbai ‘s 140-year-old, open-air laundromat, and it is estimated that each day half a million pieces of clothing are sent there from hotels, hospitals, and homes. Through these photographs, you’ll learn a lot more about this Mumbai marvel.

At first, Dhobi Ghat presents a chaotic scene. However, a closer look brings out the order in the chaos. Lines and lines of washed clothes are hung out to dry in a manner that optimizes both time and space. This is a labor-intensive process, and the washermen, also called dhobis, have a system in place that takes care of washing, sorting, and ironing. A code is written at the back of each garment that allows the correct piece of laundry to get back to its owner. This system is amazingly efficient and one of the main reasons of the ghat’s popularity.

Though one can see some modern machinery lining the washing stations, most of the laundry is still done by hand. The clothes are first sorted and then soaked in soapy water. After this step, dhobis beat the clothes on the flogging stone. The stalls where the dhobis work date back to British Rule.

Rarely stopping for a break, the dhobis wash each piece of clothing in a similar way before wringing it and setting it out to dry.

Home to the dhobis and their families (around 200 families), the Dhobi Ghat has seen this occupation passed down from one generation to the next. Also known as the Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, it can be viewed easily from the Mahalaxmi Railway station. The best time to visit Dhobi Ghat is early morning and early afternoon. While the dhobis are in action in the morning to take care of the washing load, the early afternoons are an ideal time to see the clothes dry.

If you happen to visit the ghat, you can step down the bridge and get informal tours from various dhobis, who are always more than eager to share little anecdotes from their trade with curious travelers.

After the clothes are dried, they are sorted according to their code, and the dhobis make sure they are ironed crisp.

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Dhobi Ghat garnered a Guinness Book of World Records entry under ‘most people hand-washing clothes at a single location’ in 2011. If you’ve ever taken your laundry for granted, a trip to Dhobi Ghat is the perfect way to put things in perspective and admire the effort that goes into this most domestic and often overlooked activity.

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Dhobi Ghat Mumbai

Settled 12 km from the main city of Mumbai, Dhobi Ghat is one of the most popular attractions for foreign travelers and Indians who visit Mumbai (India) frequently. The Ghat is famous as the world's most oversized outdoor laundry, where there are several Dhobis washing clothes in the localities of the city. Formed in 1890, Dhobi Ghat served as a helping hand to the population of English and Parsi residents. A peep inside the Ghat will familiarize you with the existing condition of the lower middle class, and one can see how dhobis are busy washing dirty laundry from every corner of Mumbai. Numerous washer  families have had their primary occupation as washing for several years. The municipal council owns the Ghat.

In March 2011, Dhobi Ghat registered its name in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is also known as an organization known as Dhobi Kalyan and Audyogik Vikas Co-operative Society. The world's most famous site is known for its laundry services and recycling of sarees and other garments sold at discounted prices at different local markets. There is also a film picturized by Aamir Khan, Dhobi Ghat, in which he shows the everyday life of these washermen and how they form an important section of society. 

Dhobi Ghat history

In 1890, when Britain was still in control, a group of 50 washers established the location. And aside from a few changes, Dhobi Ghat has retained its previous appearance and operational style.

Currently, the neighborhood is home to over 700 washer families, who thrash clothing on their own stones daily. While some dhobis have installed mechanized washers and dryers, the majority still wash their clothing using platforms and troughs designed and constructed during British rule to survive.

Things to do in Mumbai Dhobi Ghat

• Watching the organized chaos at the laundry
• Knowing about the lives of washermen and women
• Clicking colorful photographs of clotheslines

Best Time to Visit Dhobi Ghat

October through March are ideal for scheduling a Dhobi Ghat Mumbai excursion. The possibility of rain disrupting your plans is minimal, and the temperature is still acceptable.

Visit the location early in the day to observe the dhobis flogging the clothing in their cubicles. Loads of clothing are hung out to dry in the sun by midday and early afternoon.

Time to Explore Dhobi Ghat Mumbai

Exploring the dark alleys of Dhobi Ghat would take only about an hour. You can witness the British-era water troughs used for washing, get through miles of cloth hanging lines, and get a glimpse of the ironing sheds.

Interesting facts about Dhobi Ghat

• Around 5000 dhobis work around the clock, cleaning and crisping dirty clothes.
• Dhobi Ghat has more than 700 washing stations where hands do the washing.
• A record for "most person hand-washing garments at a single spot" was once set at Dhobi Ghat when 496 dhobis cleaned clothes collectively.
• The washers regularly serve hotels, hospitals, and decorators in the area. The laundry also receives clothing from clothing manufacturers.
• This location has been used for filming numerous Hindi and Marathi films, including Munnabhai MBBS, Shootout at Wadala, and Dhobi Ghat (also known as Mumbai Diaries).

Things to keep in mind while visiting Dhobi Ghat

• Get in there early in the morning to avoid the dhobis' rush hours.
• Ensure your camera is waterproof, as most areas are wet.
• Be aware of the pickpockets in this place.

Places to visit near Mumbai Dhobi Ghat

• Mahalakshmi Temple 
• Haji Ali Dargah
• Nehru Planetarium
• Marine Drive

How to reach Dhobi Ghat Mumbai?

Dhobi Ghat is close to a lot of other Mumbai tourist attractions. The closest local railway station to Dhobi Ghat is Mahalaxmi Mumbai Station. Regular trains are available from all parts of Mumbai. You can also catch a public bus.

If you are planning to visit Dhobi Ghat, then you must check out our Mumbai tour packages.

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• Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai

Dhobi Ghat Mumbai Entry Fee

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Dhobi Ghat Mumbai Phone

Dhobi ghat mumbai timings.

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Dhobi Ghat Mumbai Address : 1, Anandilal P Marg, Dhobi Ghat, Shanti Nagar, Lower Parel, Dr. E. Moses Rd. near Mahalakshmi Station , Maharashtra , 400011 , India

Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat Mumbai is the world's largest open-air laundry. People bring dirty clothes from all over Mumbai. And hundreds of washermen and women – dhobis, work their shifts through the day to get the clothes back to their fresh, crisp and spotless state.

While some dhobi families take help from machines too, much of the activities at this Dhobi Ghat of Mumbai is taken care of by hands. Every family member takes care of their part. One person flogs the clothes in the washing trough, while others hang them out to dry. Then someone will mint the clothes using bulky charcoal irons.

Once the clothes are cleaned, dried and pressed, the porters take them back to the owners. The system is well-optimised, and each garment and sheet are coded to be traced back to the respective client.

Visit Dhobi Ghat in Mumbai and witness the effective management of strenuous laundry activities traditionally.

History of Dhobi Ghat in Mumbai

The place was set up by an association of 50 washers in 1890, during the British rule. And except for a few modifications, Dhobi Ghat has maintained its old look and way of working.

Today, around 700 washer families live together in the area and thrash clothes on their respective stones every day. Some dhobis have installed mechanical washing and drying machines, but most still survive by washing the clothes in their designated troughs and washing platforms, which were built during the British era.

Things to do at Mumbai Dhobi Ghat

1. Watching the organised chaos at the laundry – Dhobi Ghat laundry Mumbai is one of the top tourist destinations of the city. It buzzes with washers and the smell of washing soda and other chemicals all day long. You can watch the well-managed manual laundry system here. While one dhobi sorts the clothes as per their colours and types, another one will beat the stains out of clothes; and yet another member of the family hangs them on the lines to dry.

Mumbai Dhobi Ghat also has separate sections to boil water and wash infected clothes from hospitals. And while the washed clothes are being ironed before delivery, more porters come in with fresh piles of dirty clothes.

2. Knowing about the life of washermen and women – This Dhobi Ghat in Mumbai is managed by the people who work there, and they’re more than eager to share their stories with the travellers. Learn about the entire process, hear about their daily struggles at work and play a game or two of marbles with the kids there. You might also grab some helpful washing tips to take back home.

3. Clicking colourful photographs of clotheslines – Dhobi Ghat Mumbai sightseeing is also popular among the photographers. Rows of colourful clothes drying in the sun, streamlined display of monochrome linens from hospitals and hotels, and happy faces behind the water splashes are all different frames you can capture. The patient photographers can also click piles of clothes loaded on porters’ backs, their cycles and handcarts wheeled in and out.

Image Gallery of Dhobi Ghat Mumbai

Dhobi ghat mumbai timings and entry fees.

The place is functional for almost 18-20 hours a day.

Around 5,000 washers play their part, every day, in cleaning the clothes of the residents of Mumbai. Some dhobi families start as early as 4 AM, and many others work until 10 PM.

However, for the best experience, your Dhobi Ghat Mumbai visit should only be during the day. And that would be between 8 AM and 6 PM.

Also, you don’t have to pay a fee either to enter this open-air laundry or click photographs. But you can pay a local guide to help you unleash the hidden gems of Dhobi Ghat.

Best Time to Visit Dhobi Ghat

The best time to plan a Dhobi Ghat Mumbai tour is from October to March. The temperature remains pleasant and the chances of rainfall ruining your schedule are at the lowest.

Visit the place in the morning hours to see the dhobis in action; flogging the clothes in their respective cubicles. By noon and early afternoon, the hanging wires in Dhobi Ghat get loaded with clothes hanged out to dry in the sun.

Time to Explore Dhobi Ghat Mumbai

It would take only about an hour to explore the dark alleys of Dhobi Ghat. You can witness the British era water troughs used for washing, get through miles of cloth hanging lines and also get a glimpse of the ironing sheds.

Interesting facts about Dhobi Ghat

• Around 5000 dhobis work here round the clock, cleaning and crisping dirty clothes.
• Dhobi Ghat has more than 700 washing stations where washing is done by hands.
• Once 496 dhobis washed clothes together, thus getting Dhobi Ghat a place in Guinness Book of World Records for “most people hand-washing clothes at a single location”.
• Nearby hotels, hospitals and decorators are the regular clients of the washers. Garment manufacturers also send clothes to this laundry.
• Many Hindi and Marathi movies like Munnabhai MBBS, Shootout at Wadala and Dhobi Ghat (aka Mumbai Diaries) have been shot at this place.

Things to keep in mind while visiting Dhobi Ghat

• Get in there early in the morning to avoid rush working hours of the dhobis.
• Make your camera waterproof as most of the areas are wet.
• Be aware of the pickpockets in this area.

Places to visit near Mumbai Dhobi Ghat

1. Mahalakshmi Temple – Mahalakshmi Temple Mumbai is a beautiful temple overlooking the seashore of Mumbai. It is about 3 km away from Dhobi Ghat and devotees come here to take blessings from Goddess Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati. You can understand the religious importance of this place from the fact that it is full of pilgrims when the Navratri celebrations are ongoing. The devotees wait for hours in the queue for their turn to offer flowers, sweets and coconuts to the deities.

2. Haji Ali Dargah – Haji Ali Mosque is an Islamic pilgrimage site, only a few hundred metres away from Mahalakshmi Temple. It is built in the honour of saint Haji Ali Shah Bukhari and has been decorated in the Indo-Islamic architectural style. It stands on a small island in the Arabian Sea and is connected to the mainland through a narrow pathway. Visiting Haji Ali during high tides is not advisable but at other times of the day, tourists and pilgrims from around the world come here to take blessings.

3. Nehru Planetarium – Nehru Planetarium is a notable centre for scientific studies and astronomical activities. It is a part of the Nehru Science Centre, about 4 km away from Dhobi Ghat. At the planetarium, one can observe planets and other celestial objects in the sky. Local people come here to witness events like Lunar eclipses and Solar eclipses through one of the numerous telescopes installed at the site. The place is also the venue for many educational programmes, cultural shows and scientific discussions.

4. Mumbai Zoo – Officially called Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, Mumbai Zoo is one of the oldest zoos and botanical gardens in India. This zoo has a variety of birds and animals, including penguins. Many other animals like hyenas and swamp deers are kept in their respective habitats too. Local people visit the place with friends and family during weekends. Mumbai Zoo is about 2 km away from Dhobi Ghat.

5. Marine Drive – Marine Drive, about 7 km away, is a sea-facing promenade popular among the local people and tourists alike. Mumbaikars visit this place to jog and hang out with friends. The place is also known for the range of street food stalls and restaurants. Marine Drive is nicknamed the Queen’s Necklace because of the glistening display of lights at night.

How to Reach Dhobi Ghat Mumbai?

Dhobi Ghat is in proximity to many other tourist spots in Mumbai . To reach Dhobi Ghat, Mahalaxmi Mumbai station is the nearest local railway station. You will find regular trains from all over Mumbai. You can also board a public bus to get to the place.

You can also avail cab service from top car rental companies in Mumbai to take you to this world record holder laundry. And here are the various ways to reach Mumbai –

By Road – Mumbai has regular buses to various parts of India. Whether you want to get a bus from the nearby towns Pune and Nagpur or distant tourist destinations like Ahmedabad and Panaji, you’ll find a suitable conveyance. The Mumbai Central bus stop is only about 2 km away from Dhobi Ghat.

By Rail – Railways are the lifeline of Mumbai, and regular trains connect it to different corners of India. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is 6 km away from Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai Central is at a distance of 3 km. Suburban railway stations like Bandra Terminus, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and others also have many trains coming from different towns.

By Air – Mumbai is the gateway to India and has reliable connectivity to other parts of the world via air. Flights from popular national and international cities land at regular intervals at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. It is at a distance of 16 km from Dhobi Ghat.

Make the most of your Mumbai tour by booking a Mumbai tour package with us. We at Mumbai Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA offer packages at pocket friendly prices. Book your tour with us and we are sure you will have a great time filled with many memorable moments. To know more details about the various packages, please fill the Contact Us form and we will get back to you.

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