How the slums of India became more interesting than the Taj Mahal (7 photos)

More than a million people live in the Dharavi slums in Mumbai. Well, how does he live - he survives, without sewerage, in a dilapidated infrastructure. This slum area is one of the largest in all of Asia. And it... became a favorite tourist destination in the country.





Two of India's most famous things in one photo! The cow is missing, she eats garbage off screen

Suddenly, among the places that travelers wanted to visit in India, they name slums more often than the magnificent Taj Mahal Palace, and always in front of it. This analysis was shared by TripAdvisor; the slums by a landslide took first place in the vote for the most interesting place in India that one would like to visit.

In 2019, its slums, for example, were visited by 8 million tourists! What are they all doing there?!



Do you remember how in Slumdog Millionaire the boy fell into the toilet?!

Why does everyone go to the slums!?

There are two reasons, and they changed the world of travel, just as photography once changed the world of art and artists forever. This movie. “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won an Oscar, and the recent “Slumdog Millionaire” (or “Gulliboy”) about a rapper from the poor neighborhoods of India. Watched?



Movie poster about a guy from the slums, they also raised the topic of Muslims in India

And people want to see for themselves that people really live in a huge community. That it is possible to live like this in principle, and also to remind themselves of how privileged they are, living in their more developed country.

All this is only partly hypocritical, because those who can afford to travel to other countries live clearly richer than the same poor people from their own country. But he doesn’t go through the ghettos and slums on excursions around his country; there’s no exoticism or beautiful cinema in this.



A silent illustration of the answer to the question of how people live without a toilet

Why doesn't everyone go to the Taj Mahal?

Tourists from all over the world are tired of the “Paris syndrome”. As I wrote, the Japanese suffer especially hard from it, as they are severely disappointed from visiting Paris.

The most beautiful tourist places, thanks to experienced photographers and cameramen, are captured so beautifully that when you see Tandj Mahal in reality, you do not feel the same awe as when you saw its best photographs for the first time.



Photographers also love to tinker with color correction.

That is, a person goes for a feeling of beauty and delight, but is easily disappointed. After all, the angle may be wrong, the lighting may be too hot, or the day may be too hot. Another thing is the slums - they always give a full package of emotions.

Pity, compassion, therefore satisfaction and happiness, because you don’t live like that when you return home. You can also compare what you see with films and tell your friends new details you noticed. In general, there are enough impressions for all the money, for the rest of your life, there will be enough emotional experience.



One to one gypsy truzobs somewhere near Krasnodar in the 90s

Is it safe for tourists to go to the slums?

Well, of course not. The probability that you will be robbed or robbed alone tends to 90%. Therefore, it is recommended to go to the “cinema slums” in Mumbai, where guides conduct tours, and the local police and punks are aware of their groups.



Poster of a beautiful coastline with a backdrop of tarmac-covered slums

But it’s better not to go deep into the slums in Delhi except for a group of strong guys. I do not recommend girls to go even in a group mixed with men; there is always a risk that you will be accidentally “kicked off” from the group.