The area adjoining Shastri Nagar in Dharavi was a large open marshy land and when people first settled here, huts were made of bamboo or cardboard sheets and jute ropes.This 50-year old settlement comprises mainly of Maharashtrians from Satara, Sangli and other western ghats. People in this settlement belong to the Kakaya community. Sant Kakaya was a Hindu saint belonging to the cobbler community and the people who followed him are called the Kakayas. A decade ago, a local corporator decided to develop this settlement and nearly two trucks of muck and mud was removed and the surface was leveled, roads constructed, a beautiful ground laid and the area was named Soneri Maidan.
Few decades ago there was a well near the settlement which was used for to wash clothes or vessels and drinking water was fetched from panch nal community. Two pots of water were procured for 25 paise but now everyone has a tap in the house.
This settlement has toilets blocks built in British era and Shastri Nagar had two public toilets but they were unclean and were in a state of neglect, therefore people hardly used it, but now a monthly contractor is appointed to maintain it and people use a monthly-pass system and these facilities have improved living conditions over the last decade.
Prominent festivals celebrated by this community are Ganpati ustav, Holi, Diwali, Navratri. The 10-day Sai saptah festival celebrated in memory of the Hindu saint Sai Baba is also celebrated in both Shastri Nagar and Soneri Maidan as they are located closer to each other.
