Reportedly india’s biggest tourist attraction has always been the majestic Taj Mahal, one of the world’s seven wonders and unexpectedly, Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum based in mumbai has trumped the majestic Taj to become the favorite destination for tourists coming to india. Reportedly the “world’s largest travel site,” TripAdvisor, stated that more and more international tourists are interested in seeing the slums in Dharavi.
Furthermore Dharavi conducts walk-through tours for small groups to give tourists a glimpse of the lives of slum-dwellers in india, reported Vice india. Meanwhile these walk-through tours have also featured in Top 10 Asia list, bagging 10th rank after the jungle swing in Ubud, Bali, and a biking tour in Tokyo. Recently Dharavi has gained a lot of popularity from being featured in award-winning films like the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire and the much-appreciated Gully Boy.
Further the tourists who visit Dharavi get voyeuristic pleasure from seeing poverty and acknowledging their own privilege. Perhaps these tours are conducted very sensitively so as not to hurt the sentiments of the slum-dwellers and preserve the authenticity of the experience.
