Question

Describe the life if people of chawls in bombay?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Structure of Chawl: Chawls were multi storeyed structures, which were divided into smaller one room tenements without any private toilets. These houses were largely owned by private landlords like merchants, bankers, building contractors etc. High rents forced the workers to share rooms with relatives, friends or caste fellows.

Family Life in Chawl: Filthy atmosphere and scarcity of water were very common. The homes were small, so streets and neighbourhoods were used for cooking, washing and sleeping.

Impact of Social change on the Family life: Liquor shops and akharas came up in any empty space. Sometimes, the jobber in the mills became the local neighbourhood leader, who settled disputes, organised food supplies or arranged informal credit. The changed social life or community life was responsible to bring changes in the family life of the worker. Old system of castes based family life were slowly replaced by the new urban life.

The Chawls reflected the reality of urban life poverty, disappointment and also hopes and dreams of the dwellers.

Answer 2

Chawls were the buildings that private landlords including merchants, bankers and construction contractors built and owned. Every chawl was smaller than that, divided into one room tenement.

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1. No privately operated toilets. Many families may reside in a tenement at one time.

2. People used to keep windows closed because of the close proximity to filthy putter, Buffalo stables etc.

3. Due to water shortage, the people quarreled over a turn at the tap every morning. For cooking , washing, and other activities, the streets and residential areas were used.

4. In vacant spaces the liquor shop and the akharas came up. Streets have been used for outdoor events.

5. Chawls also acted as a place to share news about strikes and protests etc.