Travel Guide

Although the washing machine is available in India, most people still was clothes by hand or employ a dhobi, a traditional laundry man or woman, to take care of the task. The process begins with soaking clothes in soapy water, beating them clean with a wooden paddle and then rinsing out the soap. The clothes are dried in the sun. then with a steam iron and some starch (sometimes too much) the wrinkles are removed. The clean and crisp clothes are returned a few days later. The beating and the sun, however, do lead to fading, fraying and the occasional lost button. If your accommodation does not offer laundry service, ask around to find the nearest dhobi. The charges are nominal. There are also plenty of drycleaners in most major cities and towns.