Mumbai, once a scattered heap of seven islands, grew into a metropolis on the backs of labourers who arrived as early as the British Raj. Dharavi, part of this geography, began as a mangrove-marshland inhabited by the Koli fishing community. They paddled through swamps that now lie buried beneath concrete and congestion. Over time, leather tanneries sprung up, mostly run by Muslims and members of lower Hindu castes—professions marked by caste-based occupational segregation. Gujaratis, too, made their way in, establishing small-scale businesses and trade hubs.