Dhobi Ghat Special

Besides the washing machine, most Indian women depends heavily on the Dhobi (aka washer man) to wash the house linen. Heavy-duty laundry is always assigned to this curious breed of people (dhobi), who carry their load to the nearest dhobi ghat and manually launder the towels, bed sheets, trousers etc. Crisp ironed linen and clothes are handed back after a week and the next stack is lined up for collection. Indra is a concept washing machine to aid the dhobi with his washing and make life more easier for him.

Manual labor is cheaper in India than using electricity and machines. Thus the Indra is designed on this premise. A look at this video here will give you an idea on how the dhobis function.

Incase you are wondering, my dhobi comes in every Monday for collecting the clothes!

Designer: Elodie Delassus

Radhika Seth

Radhika Seth is a design and technology writer with over 18 years of experience covering products, innovation, and the ideas shaping design. She serves on the jury of international design competitions, including the iF Design Award, and hosts Yanko Design’s Design Mindset podcast. A former Ogilvy advertising professional, she has also taught Communication and Design Journalism, bringing together her experience across design, storytelling, brands, and media.

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