On the 14th of January, 2025, as part of the outreach for Sarmaya’s exhibition High Seas, Open Roads Sarmaya’s Research & Curatorial Assistant Pooja Ashokkumar led a walk in Dharavi on the occasion of Pongal.
The walk started bright and early for the group of twelve, by watching the Pongal (the traditional Tamil sweet dish) being prepared and was followed by a walk around the neighbourhood. Among the sights seen was the local Mariamman temple, historical Ganesh Temple, and a visit to one of the last remaining leather tanneries of Dharavi. The walk also involved discussions with community members about the migration, culture and politics of the Dharavi. And, the walk ended with delicious Pongal to mark the special occasion.
Pooja Ashokkumar heads the project- @Bombay Tamil History, which documents and explores the labour histories of Tamils from Dharavi, who are excluded from traditional histories focusing on the affluent Tamil émigrés of Matunga – Sion – Chembur. In the same vein, through her walks she aims to destigmatise Dharavi and showcase the everyday stories of community, migration and resilience.
** A portion of the ticket price was shared with the people of Dharavi who gave their time and stories to the walk group.