In a quiet corner of Dharavi, a small sculptor’s studio runs on tradition, patience, and mutual respect. Led by a young but deeply admired teacher, the space is both workshop and home. Here, idols are crafted slowly, shaped with care and rooted in custom. In a rapidly changing city, this studio offers stillness, a quiet commitment to craft and community.

This story revolves around Zari Karigars seamlessly shuffling beads into pins and passing white crystals through yellow fabric, headed by Vivek Ji, the preserver of this timeless art form.

Bimla Aunty’s home sits like a gentle pause in a constantly moving world. Bustling with children and books, she attempts to make the most of her community-driven lifestyle in Koliwada.

Two brothers behind a pharmacy counter tell us a story of resilience and adaptability, ranging from spreading wares in Bandra to spinning rakhis on an umbrella in the rains. 

Joseph Koli is a man with 68 years behind him and innumerable kilometres of roads beneath his name, having worked in the Public Service Department of Mumbai for four decades.

In Dharavi’s Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Khurshid Bhai has his leather shop. From learning the trade alongside his brother to becoming a key supplier for brands like Royal Enfield, Khurshid Bhai built his business through perseverance. He is not just a craftsman, but also a committed community leader, standing firm against eviction threats and fighting for the rights of his neighbours. His story reflects the strength of Dharavi: grounded, proud, and unyielding in the face of adversity.

Dharavi's young fashion entrepreneur, Rohan Mane, shares his challenging yet exciting journey of building a streetwear brand. Dharavi became the perfect ecosystem for his creative experimentation, offering everything from design and stitching to manufacturing, branding, and shipping, all in one place. 

The Hôtel-Dieu in Nantes: a fictional process to a citizen-inspired approach 

Streets, typically seen as the arteries of daily hustle, transform into a public stage during ceremonial processions where tradition and resistance are celebrated in unison. For communities of Dharavi, these processions denote a larger familial solidarity highlighting the struggles of urban life against the erasure of culture during calls for redevelopment. A declaration of presence that co-opts the neighbourhood, these processions also signify moments of resistance towards urbanisation-induced alienation in urban spaces.

The Dharavi Koli Jamaat Trust has been entrusted the responsibility to address socio-economic and spatial  challenges in Dharavi for the Koliwada community. The Dharavi Koli Jamaat Trust is a functional example of urban local bodies promoting grass-root level governance with a community centric approach.