{"id":3197,"date":"2014-07-27T15:23:17","date_gmt":"2014-07-27T14:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tazmpictures.com\/site\/?p=3197"},"modified":"2025-10-16T14:59:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T13:59:18","slug":"return-to-the-dhobi-khana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tazmpictures.com\/site\/?p=3197","title":{"rendered":"Return to the Dhobi Khana"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don’t like doing laundry? \u00a0These people earn a living doing laundry the old-fashioned way. \u00a0At various “dhobi khanas” in India, washing clothes – but more often things like sheets, towels, and occasionally uniforms – is still done by hand at facilities like this one by “dhobis” – who have been doing this for generations.<\/p>\n

This particular dhobi khana or “dhobi ghat” is said to be India’s second largest, and Chennai’s oldest – dating from 1902 – with 128 washing stones and over 1,000 dhobis. \u00a0I came here previously in February<\/a> with some old cameras and took black-and-white photos – this time I brought a digital camera and a quadcopter to overfly the area. \u00a0Unfortunately, the copter shut off during filming (stray wi-fi signals???) but you can get an idea of what the place looks like from the minute or so shown below.<\/p>\n

\"Posing<\/a><\/p>\n

This lady folds blankets and sheets. Small hotels and hospitals are among the customers of this dhobi khana.<\/p>\n

\"Stain<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Spray\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Washing<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Washing<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Washing<\/a><\/p>\n

The work is anything but easy – it’s backbreaking. There is some relief from a cup of Indian coffee with lots of milk and sugar, poured from a height the traditional way to make it frothy.<\/p>\n

\"Kaapi<\/a><\/p>\n

The work is a family effort.<\/p>\n

\"Family<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Washers\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Husband<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Pump<\/a><\/p>\n

And here the video:<\/p>\n