The CSR Journal went on ground to Dharavi, Mumbai’s famed slum, to explore the fate of Kumbharwada, Asia’s largest traditional pottery settlement. Home to over 1,000 families, Kumbharwada has kept alive a centuries-old craft of shaping clay into diyas, kulhads, and other earthenware. These artisans’ products reach global markets, contributing over ₹1,000 crore annually to the economy.
Watch CSR Journal’s exclusive ground report video here:
But today, this vibrant pottery hub is under threat. Dharavi’s redevelopment plans promise modern flats and wider roads but overlook the need for open spaces, potter’s wheels, and kilns. Environmental restrictions on traditional wood-fired kilns, combined with the high cost of electric alternatives, worsen their struggle.
For generations, potters like Ashwin Solanki have shaped their lives and identity around this craft. Today, they fear that decades, if not centuries, of tradition and hard work could vanish forever. Ashwin and many others believe this redevelopment threatens to end a legacy passed down through countless hands and hearts.
