Chawl 799615 206879173 2008-04-20T13:13:02Z JL-Bot 4773966 removing orphan template as 5 article links exist A '''chawl''' is a name for a type of building found in India. They are often 4 to 5 stories with about 10 to 20 [[tenement]]s, referred to as "kholi"s, on each floor. Many chawls can be found in [[Mumbai]] where they were constructed in abundance to house the people migrating to Mumbai because of its booming cotton mills and overall strong economy. A usual tenement in a chawl consists of one all purpose[[room (architecture)|room]], that functions both as a living and sleeping space, and a kitchen that also serves as a dining room. A frequent practice is for the kitchen to also serve as a a bedroom for a newly married couple, to give them some degree of privacy. Average rents run about [[Rupee|Rs]]. 40 per month, equivalent to about 1 [[USD]], or even lower. {{Fact|date=April 2008}} Families on a floor have to share a common block of [[latrine]]s, each block comprising typically 4 to 5 latrines. Tenements with private bathrooms are highly sought after. People living in a chawl have little privacy. Due to the close nature of the quarters, trivial news and gossip travels quickly. On the other hand, however, this intimate living situation also leads to a friendly atmosphere, with support networks akin to familial relationships. The distinctive cultural features that arise from this unique situations have been featured in plays, films and novels {{Fact|date=April 2008}}. [[Category:Indian culture]] [[Category:Mumbai culture| ]] {{india-stub}}