Prince Charles on Wednesday paid a visit to Dharavi in Mumbai. Arputham Jockin and Sheela Patel took him around what is best known as the biggest slum in Asia. Jockin spoke exclusively to rediff.com on what the prince did there:
After all the dry runs, wet runs and other running around that they made us do, Prince Charles just did what he wanted to.
The same thing happened when (US Secretary of State) Colin Powell had come on a visit. The prince just ignored his security guards and went into nine houses that were not even on his list!
Prince Charles in India: Complete Cverage
He was supposed to visit just one building (Rajeev-Indira Cooperative Society) and inaugurate another (Suryodaya Cooperative Society).
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But he just went where he fancied. Once he entered the bylanes of Dharavi, he came across a swamp. He wanted to cross it and asked me to come along. I said 'fine' and suddenly I felt someone tugging my arm. I turned around and saw the prince's security detail pleading with his eyes not to let him go ahead.
Somehow I caught hold of his (Charles's) hand and engaged him in a conversation and led him away from the spot.
Along the way, he went to a Muslim's house. I think they had started praying (it is now the Muslim holy month of Ramzan when many observe a dawn-to-dusk fast), but he nevertheless went inside and sat quietly till they had finished.
On the way back, we were passing a tannery and suddenly the prince literally dragged me into it. I thought he would leave because of the smell. But he went inside and started examining the leather and talking to the workers.
And he was very perceptive. He asked the workers questions like 'How much salary do they get?', 'Is there a sub-agent inbetween?', 'do they get the actual price for the leather or do the agents pocket much of the money?'
The owner of the tannery had a cellphone, which had a camera and he wanted to take the prince's picture. Charles caught hold of me and insisted that I stand next to him for the picture.
Then when we went inside the Rajeev (Rajeev-Indira Cooperative Society) building, he started talking to people on each floor. (Prince Charles climbed nine floors to reach the top).
At one of the houses, seeing its small size he asked the lady 'Do you actually sleep with your husband here?!'
But he is not particularly fond of concrete buildings. In fact, he was saying that buildings should not be too high. 'I am also an architect, you know' he said with a wink.
'Next time you construct a building, I want to sit with you and plan it', he said. On the way back down, he asked another family how come all of them were at home on a weekday.
'In case your boss asks you why you were absent, blame me!' he joked.
National Slum Dwellers Federation president and Slum Development International chief Arputham Jockin had won the Magsaysay award for international understanding in 2000. He spoke to R Swaminathan. Sheela Patel is the Director of the Society for Promotion and Resource Centre.
