Dhobi Ghat, Open-air laundry in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai, India

Dhobi Ghat is an open-air laundry built in 1890 beside Mahalaxmi railway station in southern Mumbai. Rows of concrete wash pens, each with its own flogging stone, descend in steps; above them corrugated metal and blue tarpaulin sheets roof some work areas, and lines of white, blue, red, green, orange and pink cloth hang across the site.

Dhobi Ghat was constructed in 1890 as an open-air laundry for Mumbai's hotels and hospitals. Its example led the British to build a similar dhobi ghat in Kolkata in 1902. Around 200 dhobi families live on site, and the trade has passed from one generation to the next.

The workers here, called dhobis, follow traditions passed down through generations and use hand-marked codes to track each piece of clothing. This practice binds their work to a craft that has roots deep in the city's daily life.

The best time to visit is early in the morning when most workers are active and the facility is busiest. The site is located near Mahalaxmi railway station, making it easy to reach.

Dhobi Ghat holds a Guinness World Record for "most people hand-washing clothes at a single location", set in 2011. In 2013 it also received certificates from World Records India and World Amazing Records. The Dhobi Kalyan & Audhyogik Vikas Cooperative Society puts the site's annual turnover at around Rs 100 crore.