Dharavi, one of the largest slums, has a population of more than 600,000 people residing in 100,000 makeshift homes, and one of the world's highest population densities at more than 12,000 persons per acre. One third of the population of Dharavi have no access to clean drinking water at all. There is a serious sanitation problem in Dharavi, with poor drainage systems causing the spread of diseases and serious public health problems.

I came to know about Dharavi from the internationally recognized film Slumdog Millionaire. Asia's largest slum, Dharavi, lies on prime property right in the middle of India's financial capital, Mumbai (Bombay).

Many young girls who are victims of sex trafficking and abuse in this area. Some of these beautiful angels are younger than me, some of them are of my age or older. They come from families where they are the first ones who are going to school for education. 

It was nerve breaking when I saw the areas where they live, such a remarkable contrast to what this gorgeous city Mumbai offers otherwise. We walked into the purely residential part of Dharavi and it was a new world altogether. I walked in the narrowest lanes ever where barely any sunlight came in, and people lived in extremely close proximity to each other.

I have been a dancer my entire life. I have been trained in Kathak- a classical Indian dance form. Kathak comes from the root word “katha”, which refers to telling stories. Since five years of ages, I have loved telling a story through dance. Since then, I have performed both internationally and locally sharing this ancient art form of India with audiences. 

As a civilian, seeing the social issues, I have been always thinking how do I bring some changes and help the society. The trigger that lit a fire, that with the power of dance I might be able to do so when I saw a presentation by a NGO, whose mission was to help women find strength in themselves to overcome their obstacles brought on them by society. As an artiste, the best way I can share my views and raise my voice is through my artistry. One of my missions in life, is to raise funds to help underprivileged women and children in need. If we think about it it’s not their fault that they don’t have anything or might be very little, it’s in the families or society they were born. And, I could be the same as well.

I got the opportunity to perform in Southern California to raise funds for the Hope in Life Foundation, an organization that helps women and children throughout the world. In addition, I was fortunate enough to travel to India ( where my roots are ) and perform Kathak to help raise funds for the most poverty stricken children in Kolkatha. Late last year, I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I received a grant from the Hope In Life Foundation to help underprivileged girls. I decided to visit Dharavi.

Through conducting two dance workshops at Dharavi, I was able to connect with the girls by spending quality time with them. The workshop sessions helped them to explore dance not only as an art form, but also as a form of therapy, and as a way to express themselves cathartically. Through the workshops, I too was able to understand their lives and was grateful that I was able to bring some positivity into their lives. I was amazed at how quickly they rediscovered joy through the form of dance. 

When teaching these girls a step or movement they were determined to get it right, constantly calling for my attention by saying, “Didi! Didi! (sister)” they constantly asked for help and wanted my advice on how to make their steps better. Even though most of these girls never had the opportunity to dance before me, they were filled with immense light and determination to get all the movements correct. This amazed me, how much heart they put into learning what I taught them and how open they were to learning despite how hard it might be for them. 

We, the girls are always interested in makeup and out cloths. As a part of the workshop, I taught the girls dance makeup essentials. They were so happy to see the make up kits that I carried for them from Los Angeles. Some girls expressed their excitement by saying that they never looked so beautiful before. They were not allowed to do makeup. They seemed to get the life they wanted in just those two days!

After two days of dance workshop was concluded with the show case on what they learnt. They were awarded with certificate of completion.

One thing that touched me deeply is the fact that these girls were satisfied with whatever they possessed despite the challenges they face daily. I will never forget the pure smiles on their faces, despite what they been through and it is an image I will carry in my mind. This lesson should be passed on to everyone- be grateful for what you have, even when it is nothing. As I continue to explore how I can make a difference, I will gain a new understanding of my role in life...