Spread across four acres, with 731 washing pods, the Dhobi...

MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA - 2015/09/25: Spread across four acres, with 731 washing pods, the Dhobi Ghat near Mahalaxmi Railway Station in Mumbai was originally established in 1890 by the British East Indian Company, when it served as a mass laundry for military uniforms. The Dhobi Ghat now primarily serves the citys hospitals, restaurants and garment factories. Hailing mostly from Uttar Pradesh, the washermen stay in this colony along with their families as a community in an alien land. They start working early in the morning. With the passage of time, however, the washermen have adopted modern-day techniques of using washing machines and dryers. But they still manage to keep intact a large tract of land in Mumbai protected from the land sharks. (Photo by Subhendu Sarkar/LightRocket via Getty Images)