We have all seen the Aamir Khan-starrer Dhobi Ghat or have laughed along with Circuit when he and Munnabhai were sitting at an iconic location of Mumbai — Dhobighat.
The concrete structures used to give clothes a ‘dhobi-pachhad’ and the rows of attires often make it a photographer’s haunting place but did you know that the City of Joy has a launderette of its own? Yes, a slice of Mumbai has been present in Kolkata since 1902!
Flabbergasted? So was I when a Ballygunge Circular Road leading to Ritchie Road/ Hazra led me to an insignificant lane where stood tall South Dhobikhana with a board sporting the name.
Calcutta was the capital city of British India in those days and that’s when in the year 1902, the Dhobikhana in the city was set up with 200 washing blocks that are still under regular use by the dhobis (washermen).
The water in the Dhobikhana is still supplied by Tala water tank and according to a newspaper report, the launderette uses around 78,000 litre drinking water every day.
The dhobi khana is 117 years old now with 210 water catchment areas known as “choubachhas”. The South Dhobikhana is known for its quality work and cheap rates which is definitely the USP of this huge place.
A rather old dhobi from Bihar, who has been here for the last 50 years, saw me taking a stroll when he came up to me to share his experience in the place.
“I came here in 1962. Earlier, we used to get water four times — morning, afternoon, evening and at night. But now, water enters the dhobi khana only twice and that is why our business is losing its sheen. The problem started after the Bengal floods of 1973-1974.”
Intermittently talking between washing a mound of clothes, the old dhobi added, “During Jyoti babu’s time, we had gone to Delhi to urge the government to hear our plight but neither did the central government nor did the state government come to our help.”
The washermen are also worried about how long would the legacy go on as the younger generation is not interested in the work; and why not? At the backdrop of the city which is moving ahead at a fast pace is the demand for a better, washed and ironed out life asking for too much?
