Dhobi Ghat

Today I went to a dhobi ghat in Malleswaram with my friend Sheri. A dhobi ghat is a place where washer man (dhobis) do the laundry for hotels and hospitals.
We left at 7 this morning to be in time for the actual washing. I made over 200 photos and deleted more than half of them (o, the joy of digital cameras). So here's an impression of our morning:



The laundry arrived in big bundles and gets thrown in a basin to soak. I can't really see what good it does, as the water in this basin was really filthy.

Some more soaking going on and it looks like it is more colour coordinated.

And then it is scrubbing, slapping, rinse and repeat if necessary, before it is hung out to dry on the endless lines.

This was only the first dhobi ghat we visited, we found another one right behind here. Be prepared for a photo overload...

We are used to cows and dogs going through the trash, but dhobi donkeys do it too.

The flies didn't seem to bother him too much.

Baby donkey

Baby donkey

The donkeys are used by the dhobi to carry the heavy bundles with laundry.

I have lots more photos, but I will leave it at this for today... To be continued!