In and Out

In and out. In and out. In and out. In and out……..

The amazingly different microclimate inside and outside of the slum can really stimulate our senses. It is strange that we actually enjoy staying inside those small alleys that creeps among the massive slum area. They are cooler, better shaded and have more stories to tell

Crossing the slums is just like walking inside a big labyrinth. It is amazing how people can remember all these narrow routes and pathways. It is hard to keep myself oriented.

These crowds of people that are following us!! Are we studying them or are we being studied?

'Reality' Tour

5 lives a day and sensory mapping

The boundary—a dead man, half of a dead dog and several dead rats. To lose your life in Dharavi is too easy. However, I am surprised at the indifference of people on the train when the accident happened. Are they really that insensitive? Are they really used to these sudden deaths on train tracks or are they overwhelmed by seeing 3 foreigners walking on train tracks? It’s just too shocking. The 'how are you'-s and whistles from the people on the train just heightened my annoyance. Their foolish grins (sorry for being too personal, but I really don't understand why they can react in such a way) just make me mad.

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I suddenly remembered the “non-trespassable boundaries” in our case study of the Caracas. In Dharavi, these boundaries exist outside the slum rather then in the inside. At least this is my impression after walking through the slum in so many days.

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Sight.
Sound.
Smell.
Vibe.

It is really hard just to focus on one of these senses, because the situation in Mumbai is so chaotic. Everything is just too much. The sensations are saturated.

Cartography

car·tog·ra·phy/kɑrˈtɒgrəfi/–noun
the production of maps, including construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting, and reproduction.

A new word to me. It is ironic that we are doing this mapping exercise while I don't evenknow the proper terminologies for it.

ANTONIO SCARPONI...Does it ring any bell?






http://www.conceptualdevices.com/ENG/index.html
It is interesting to see the way he represent all these facts. I like his workshop and feel that it is kind of a pity that it's so short.



And of course, our own intervention is not to be missed.



Finally, a proper solution to deal with all the excessive bikes and pigeons

Recollecting memories

Currently trying to recall what we have been doing in Mumbai for the past 3 weeks by reading the notes that I have jot down.

From the lecture by Kalpana Sharma (author of Rediscovering Dharavi)
"They (the inhabitants of Dharavi) don't identify themselves as coming from Dharavi but smaller regions like the Koliwada or 13 Compound Area. It is the outsiders which refer to them as coming from Dharavi"

This is probably very true.
The social communities inside Dharavi are very characterized and have very strong bondings within their own communities, i.e. a strong sense of identity. Even though for us, it is not easy to distinguish these somehow 'invisible borders', the inhabitants themselves are very clear about them. It would be interesting to see how neighbouring communities interact with each other. (Since during the last part of our research, every group only concentrate in their own 'nagars' but somehow forgot about the interactions and relationships between/ amonf different nagars.)

Biomapping

Biomapping workshop

The sensation of a blind-folded Arie-Wilem, walking through Delft city centre to Ikea

Production by Arie, Jasper and me

From India, With Love

I'm back.

It's hard to write something that could summarize my experience for the past 3 weeks, for I had such a big change in perspective, emotion, sensation and outlook after this journey. But there is one thing that hasn't change from beginning till the end-- Mumbai is truly a great place. Great food, great movies, great music and great people. Now I am sounding a bit touristic, am I not?

However, it's indeed the nice people that I've met in this trip which made the whole experience particularly fruitful and special. From the friends we worked together with in J.J. School, to just any little kid on the street that shook my hand, ask what my name is and requested for a photo. I'm touched by all these friendly and smiley faces, and also ,of course, by their genuine personalities.

Even though sometimes I feel doubtful about my role as an architectural student in this project, I definitely have gained some insight and became (somehow, I hope) a better person. My parents said I will definitely encounter to something shocking in the trip that will have some impact on me. I guess there are too much of these impacts in the trip. The accident at the train tracks, the chaotic traffics, the ethicity of Indian culture, walking in Dharavi.............


Shall update again later.