A washerman working at South Dhobikhana, Kolkata.
A dhobi washes around 200 pieces a day, and earns about Rs25,000 a month.
Ram Chaudhuri, 81, is one of the oldest dhobis working at South Dhobikhana.
The collected clothes are bleached, washed with clean water and rinsed in steel drums using a hand-operated rotation system called ‘hydro’, dried in sunlight, and, finally, ironed before they are returned to the customers.
Opposite Maddox Square in Kolkata, occupying the large expanse of 62 Ritchie Road, lies the historic South Dhobikhana. Started by the British on August 15, 1902, it is the second oldest open-air wash house in the country; Mumbai’s famous Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat opened in 1890.
An old wooden signboard at the entrance to the wash house says “South Dhobikhana”. The sprawling 22 bighas (one bigha equals 0.33 acre) house as many as 180 wash pens.
The construction of South Dhobikhana was proposed in 1880 on the lines of the Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat. In 1890, the fund for its construction was sanctioned from the Municipal Corporation’s loan fund. By 1913-1914, around 180 concrete wash pens became operative.
Working conditions in the wash house are extreme—in summer the dhobis have to work in the scorching heat, and in winter, in freezing cold.
A total of 245 licensed dhobis are associated with South Dhobikhana.
Because of their constant exposure to detergents and other cleaning products, the dhobis are prone to skin diseases.
Most of the dhobis are originally from Bihar, but they live in tenements in the Bhawanipore, Mudiali and Hazra areas of Kolkata.
Most of these wash pens are still functional even though the washing style has changed over the years. Dhobis start working at around 4am and continue until evening. A total of 245 licensed dhobis—many of them second or third generation washermen—are associated with the South Dhobikhana. In addition, there are another 450 or more people assisting them.
Panchu Lal Das, 74, who has been working in the Dhobikhana for the last 50 years, says that the working conditions in the wash house are extreme—in summer they have to work in the scorching heat, and in winter, in freezing cold. The Dhobikhana is lacking official support, the washermen say. Most of its infrastructure is in a dilapidated state now. Santu Choudhuri, secretary of the union, South Dhobikhana Rajak Sangh, says that they used to get water supply four times a day earlier. But now, water is available only twice a day—around 10,000 litres in two instalments from 7am to 9am and from 4pm to 6pm from the Tallah tank. The dhobis say that the electric supply is plagued by voltage fluctuation, and this affects the functioning of electric drying machines—used particularly during the monsoon.
During the British period, the South Dhobikhana was listed under emergency services. The dhobis who have been in this profession for generations are in a sad state today because of the apathy of the corporation. They are uncertain how long this traditional job will continue, given that it is not lucrative enough to attract the younger generation.