History

The potters who currently live are work in Dharavi are the fourth generation of the potters who originally migrated to Mumbai from the neighbouring state of Gujarat. In the late 19th century there was a drought in their region of Gujarat and they began coming to Mumbai for 8 months in a year to make use of the ample available resources and market to ply their trade.

In those days, 1912, the best route to take from Gujarat to Mumbai was the sea-route and about 150 to 200 families of potters made the arduous journey every year. When in Mumbai they settled into small huts thatched with coconut palms and used the plentiful soil around Dharavi which exactly suited their purposes.

A small but self-sufficient community their livelihoods were rudely destroyed in a fire that swept the area in 1932. Fortunately the trader community in Mumbai came to their aid with offers of food, shelter and money to rebuild. Not wanting to lose everything again, they approached the British government and asked for a lease on the land. Accordingly they were granted a 99 year lease on 13.5 sq. acres in Dharavi.

The 200 families who previously travelled up and down the coast every year now took up permanent residence in Mumbai and the pottery community of Dharavi, called Kumbharwada (“Kumbhar” means potter and “wada” means place) was born. Their proud tradition continues even unto this day.