Dhobi Ghat

[2] The washers, known as dhobis, work in the open to clean clothes and linens from Mumbai's hotels and hospitals.

Claimed to be the world's largest outdoor laundry, Dhobi Ghat is a very popular attraction among foreign tourists.

For 18 to 20 hours each day, over 7,000 people flog, scrub, dye and bleach clothes on concrete wash pens, dry them on ropes, neatly press them and transport the garments to different parts of the city.

Some of the wealthier dhobis have given up on manual cleaning and have now installed large mechanical washing and drying machines.

Their biggest clients are neighbourhood laundries, garment dealers, wedding decorators and caterers, and mid-sized hotels and clubs.