Interviews
The Girangaon team has completed 250 audio-video interviews with a wide range of people, each reflecting a distinct history and unique heritage of Girangaon. The conscious decision to record interviews using media instruments was not only to create a unique form of research but also to train the young researcher\’s from the neighborhoods in using media methods and skills. The team met with, interviewed and built relationships with activists, cultural groups, artists and mill workers, both, men and women, the youth, small entrepreneurs, senior citizens and; local politicians. Each of these interviews is a valuable resource, replete with information and knowledge, many poignant tales from the mills, profound revelations about caste structures and cultural heritage. The interviews also record opinions and stands of stakeholders in the urban renewal process.
Focus Group Discussion
FGDs have been important in our research, as it allows the team to observe different groups in their community settings and initiate a debate, as well as get an impression of different views within the same community. Given that both Girangaon and Dharavi are at the centre of an important redevelopment debate, an FGD is a way of recording the debate as it plays out among the primary stakeholders.
Longitudinal Case Study
Researchers in Girangaon are following one family each in their respective areas as part of a longitudinal case study, which will span over the three years of the project. The aim of the longitudinal case studies was to track the changes as experienced at an individual level by the families, be it cultural or economical, using the issue of land redevelopment as the backdrop. While initially the researchers visited these families every three months, they soon realized that even small events in peoples lives could have consequential impacts, hence it was concluded that three-month gap was too much time. Today, they have built closer relations with these families and visit them every other week.
New Media
Street Life in Girangaon
With the fabric of Girangaon changing at a rapid pace, the Girangaon team decided to capture on camera the bustle of the streets in their respective research areas. These streets, home to the concept of the traditional ‘bazaar’, capture the unique culture and lives of the area, which is fast being replaced by the sanitized surroundings of shops with glass windows.
Aerial View – Spatial and Temporal Archiving
The aim of capturing aerial views of Dharavi and Girangaon is to track how the areas have undergone changes, if any. This is done through clicking photographs every three months. This has been problematic in Dharavi as the landscape has not in fact changed given that the redevelopment of this area has been temporarily stalled. In Girangaon, on the other hand, we have captured structures that are fast disappearing.
For instance, The Dawn Mill structure was standing when we started the research. Within months we saw an empty maidan, with only the chimney of the mill standing forlorn in the empty space. In another few months, a tall apartment complex or tower came up, leaving no evidence of the mill that once stood.
In another instance, during the course of research, the New Hind Textile Mill made way for low-cost housing for the mill workers, which was a positive transformation, while the Lalbaug Bridge disappeared to make way for upcoming malls, which is set to replace the traditional street life that once bustled.
Mapping
GPS (Global Positioning Systems) Tracking
The Mythologies of Mumbai team started with an initial preparatory mapping exercise, which was done manually. In June 2009 the team travelled to Pune to attend a workshop on the use of GPS technologies in mapping. Now PUKAR has acquired a GPS mapping device, which is being employed by the team to map religious institutions, educational institutes and public spaces in Dharavi and Girangaon. In Girangaon, the team has recorded changes in the area, structures and streets so that they can compare the past with the present fabric of the area. In Dharavi, the mapping exercise is used to study the profiles of different communities, revealing demarcation along religious, ethnic and linguistic lines in the area.
GIS (Geographical Information Systems)
Given the important role that maps play in the research process of the Mythologies of Mumbai project, in terms of visually and graphically depicting data, GIS Mapping Workshops were organized to build staff capacity in this regard.
Two team members attended a 3 day workshop organized by Delhi based organization; Development Alternatives, on GIS mapping in order to understand how PUKAR could initiate the process of GIS mapping in the overall project. This workshop helped the members to get acquainted with the concept and initiate steps to implementing GIS mapping in their respective projects.
Additionally, Dr. Nikhil Shejwalkar, from Pune University, was appointed as a GIS trainer for training team members in using GIS software to analyze spatial data and transform the same into maps.
Interactive Web Mapping
The Mythologies of Mumbai project aims to upload community based data on the open source web mapping websites, connecting information and photos, to actual sites that can act as a powerful advocacy tool, and also build skills that can improve community cohesion and interaction. Participatory mapping can be a powerful tool that can empower community members, advance community agendas, and enhance democratic processes.
