Tourists Can Now Spend A Night At A Mumbai Slum Homestay & Experience The 'Basti' Life

India is a fascinating country, which offers a million options to tourists who love to flock our land, ensuring they experience the rich culture and heritage like no other. The valleys of Kashmir, the mountains of Himachal, the food in Rajasthan or the party vibe of Goa or maybe soaking up some sun on a beach in Andaman, India has all of it. However, how many times do tourists actually get a taste of what it is like to live in city or a state and experience the local life? The good people of Mumbai are trying to change that, and now tourists can get a slice of the real life there, by spending a night in a Mumbai slum homestay. © Facebook All of this began when Ravi Sansi, a young lad who sold maps on the streets of Mumbai met a tourist from Singapore. She asked him to help her find a scenic spot and he was more than happy to help. He first took her to Girgaon Chowpatty and then invited her to where he stayed with his family on Golibar Road in Khar (East). In an interview to TOI, he explained how her experience was. "She slept in the same bed as my bhabhi, learned to cook and would wash her clothes sitting with my mother in the doorway. She cried when she left because she was so happy to have met me." Later Ravi got the idea of starting his own homestay which will allow tourists to experience the 'basti' life. The idea was planted by David Bijl from the Netherlands who worked with Ravi in a non-profit organisation. The idea is very simple. “The guests will stay in the family's newly acquired loft that boasts a new mattress, a flat-screen TV, and an air-conditioner, but use the same toilet facility as the rest of the slum. We would be very happy if they eat with us, but we can also direct them to a nearby restaurant”, Sansi explains. © Facebook © Facebook There is a dedicated Facebook page for the Slum Homestay Mumbai and a night stay over here would cost you a simple Rs. 2000, which is not bad at all.