A history of the slums of Dharavi — RTF | Rethinking The Future
In pre-colonial India, the Koli fishing community had settled at the northernmost tip of the island of Parel. Their community was right next to the Mahim Creek that provided them livelihood for Bear in mind that this is the pre-colonial Bombay- a group of seven islands on the coast of the Arabian sea.
In the 16th Century, the Portuguese colonists built a small fort and church at Bandra, the shore opposite to Dharavi, but did not interfere with the Koli fishermen community. In 1737, the British built the Riwa Fort at Dharavi, also known as the on the orders of their second British Governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier. The fort served the British forces as a watchtower, guarding them against any attacks from the Portuguese or the Marathas.
The turning point in the history of Dharavi came in the 18th century when the swamps of Bombay started to be reclaimed.
Read the full article on Rethinking the Future
