A chawl (Marathi:चाळ) is a type of residential building found in western India, similar to a tenement. Typically low quality housing, chawls are generally associated with poverty. The first chawls were constructed in the early 1700s, as housing for industrial workers.[1]
Chawls are rooted in the history of Bombay's (now Mumbai) colonial past. Workers migrated to Bombay from far and wide, as it was the center of trade for the East India Company. However, due to the land being unequally divided, British merchants and officials lived in sprawling bungalows, leaving little space for the working class. To accommodate this workforce, Chawls sprung up. These were tiny one room apartments shared by up to five people. Being highly congested, unsanitary, and unsafe, these were also more expensive than comparable accommodation in other Indian cities.[2]
Town planning in Bombay finally came about due to fears of a plague epidemic, due to which The City Of Bombay Improvement Trust was established in 1898. Initial projects failed, displacing far more than they resettled. However, subsequent projects saw greater success, which largely included land reclamation projects to connect the Seven Islands of Bombay. This, along with modern apartments, led to availability of better housing, due to which chawls have declined. However, they may still be seen in the poorer parts of Mumbai.[3]
Chawls are typically 4 to 5 stories tall, with between 8 and 16 dwellings on each floor. These dwellings are known as kholis (room). A central staircase services the building and gives access to a long passage which runs the length of each floor. Many chawls are also built around a small courtyard, which functions as a communal space for residents.[4] As many chawls are made with wood and often not subject to repairs, they become unstable or unsafe to live in over time, sometimes requiring relocation of the residents for fear that the structure may collapse.[5][6]
Families on a floor have to share a common block of latrines. Tenements with private bathrooms are highly sought after and may be 50% more expensive than the price of a normal chawl.[7] The lack of bathrooms has been credited with furthering disease outbreaks in chawls.[8] Infestations of insects such as cockroaches or centipedes are not uncommon either, and with no rules about littering, sanitary conditions are usually very poor.[9][10]
Despite poor sanitation and living conditions, chawls are often seen as "middle class" housing, and are often more affordable than much of the housing in Mumbai.[11] Some chawls have shops or businesses incorporated into their structure, which provide employment or shopping opportunities to the inhabitants.[12]
Residents of chawls sometimes cite a sense of community where everything is shared amongst themselves; the cramped design of chawls forces social interaction between residents and very often special occasions such as weddings or religious festivals are celebrated communally.[13][14][15]
In Mulk Raj Anand's novel Coolie, the central character Munoo lives with two family groups in a chawl during his time in Bombay with detailed descriptions of the living circumstances. The 2019 Marathi-language drama film, 15 August (Marathi: १५ ऑगस्ट) revolves around life in a chawl, with the majority of the filming taking place there.[16] In Kiran Nagarkar's novel Ravan & Eddie, both main characters and their families live in a chawl.[17]
Chawls are featured in a Mumbai level in the game Hitman 2.[18]
