It was founded by an association of washermen 140 years ago. But the place has changed with time. This is one of the few organizations and destinations in Mumbai whose name is still the same. It was initiated in the Victorian Era and still has its own name – “Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat” which means a place where washermen clean clothes and dry them. In its early days, the Ghat had two different systems for washing and soaking but in the days of 1890 to 1895, washermen figured out a huge increment in population and their industry. Then they managed to do both things at the same time. The stones used for washing here are from the beginning of time. But in the Era of British rule, those stones were used to manage the outflow of polluted water, in order to save some.
(Source: Display Board at Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat)