Hey fellow adventurers! I’ve been looking forward to this blog post all month! I’m honestly in awe of the Dabbawallas! Maybe, by the end you’ll understand why.
Dabbawallas are an essential part of everyday life in Mumbai. For 800 rupees ($12.50 USD) a month, Indians can get a homecooked meal delivered to them 6 days a week. Their organizational system is one of the best in the world with some saying they only make one mistake every million deliveries and others saying six million. Either way, they’re the best delivery men I know of! They definitely put my local pizza hut to shame!
Dabba is the name of the cylinder metal container (tiffin) that the food comes in and wala refers to the man that carries those lunches. Dabbawalla roughly translates to “tiffin box delivery man” or “the one who carries the box.” Wives and mothers of the men that sign up for this service make their loved ones home cooked meals. The Dabbawallas pick up those meals from their homes and take it to the recipient’s work or school via train and bicycle by 1PM (13:00). It’s essential that they deliver these lunches on time. But it’s also important that the recipients give their empty containers back to the Dabbawallas on time as well. If the recipients fail to give their empty containers to the Dabbawallas three times, they’re dropped as a customer. Apart from the train, the Dabbawallas don’t use any modern devices to help them in their delivery. Over 200,000 lunches are delivered by Dabbawallas every day.
Recognizing that India needed a service that delivers hot food to busy, working men, Mahadeo Havaji Bachche started a lunch delivery service with about 100 men. Today, there are at least 5,000 Dabbawallas delivering food, and the service is still growing. Dabbawallas wear white kurtas and white Gandhi caps. Each Dabbawalla earns 8,000 rupees ($125 USD) a month, making this service one of the better paying labor jobs in India. Many of the Dabbawallas either have low literacy skills or are illiterate so the system uses mostly colors and numbers to direct men as to where the food should go. But I can’t explain as well as Dabbawalla so I highly suggest you listen to this man describe the system (it’s a short video): http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170119-the-ingenious-codes-of-indias-dabbawalla
In 2014, a movie centered around this service came out called The Lunchbox. I haven’t seen it yet but it looks interesting and the critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 98% so that’s promising. They describe it as: “Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day’s lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities.” Trailer here:
Though times are changing in India just like the rest of the world. With more and more women working in India, some women don’t have the time to make a hot lunch to be delivered to their husbands. If this trend continues, the delivery system will be forced to change. There’s some talk that the wives of the Dabbawalla might need to be the ones that make the lunches in the future. As of right now though, most women are still at home and making lunches for the husbands.
Are you lot impressed like I am? Feel free to post your opinions in the comment section below! I would love to know! Thank you so much for reading my blog! And until our next adventure!
I could not resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
Superb post however I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this topic?
I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further.
Thanks!
It is in point of fact a nice and useful piece
of info. I am happy that you simply shared this useful info with us.
Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it
helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.
This is a topic that’s near to my heart… Best wishes! Exactly where are your contact details though?
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting
my own weblog and was wondering what all is required to get set up?
I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% sure.
Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed!
Extremely useful info specifically the last part :
) I care for such info much. I was seeking this certain information for a very
long time. Thank you and good luck.
Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to send
you an email. I’ve got some ideas for your blog you might
be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it
improve over time.
Fantastic blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers?
I’m hoping to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you recommend starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a
paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused ..
Any tips? Appreciate it!
Hey there! I’ve been reading your web site for some time now and
finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from
Lubbock Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep
up the excellent work!
Very energetic article, I liked that a lot. Will there be a part
2?
I’m gone to tell my little brother, that he should also visit
this weblog on regular basis to get updated from latest news.
Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day.
It’s always useful to read through content from other writers and practice a little something
from their web sites.
Howdy! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new apple
iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look
forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!
Amazing! Its truly amazing article, I have got much clear idea regarding from this article.
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment
didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that
over again. Regardless, just wanted to say superb blog!
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for a long
time now and finally got the courage to go ahead
and give you a shout out from Dallas Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep
up the great job!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about voprosi-otveti.ru.
Regards
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I in finding It truly helpful & it helped me out much.
I am hoping to present one thing again and aid others like you helped me.
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging
on blogs I stumbleupon everyday. It’s always helpful to read content from other authors and practice something from their websites.
Remarkable! Its genuinely remarkable piece of writing, I have got much clear idea about from this article.
Hi, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog site in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a
quick heads up! Other then that, great blog!
My developer is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP.
I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.
But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on various websites for about a year and
am worried about switching to another platform.
I have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a
way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into it?
Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!
It’s really a cool and useful piece of info. I am satisfied that you shared this
useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this.
Thank you for sharing.
At this time it sounds like Drupal is the top blogging platform available right now.
(from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
What’s up, I wish for to subscribe for this webpage to get most up-to-date
updates, thus where can i do it please help.
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it
from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks
would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your design. Many thanks
My partner and I stumbled over here different page and thought I may as well check things out.
I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to
looking over your web page yet again.
Amazing issues here. I am very satisfied to
see your post. Thanks so much and I’m having a look ahead to
contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
Great blog here! Additionally your website lots up very fast!
What host are you the usage of? Can I am getting your
associate link for your host? I want my site loaded up as fast as yours lol
Appreciate this post. Will try it out.
It’s in point of fact a great and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you just shared
this useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this.
Thanks for sharing.
Great post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog
and I am impressed! Very useful info specifically the closing phase 🙂 I deal with such info much.
I was seeking this certain info for a very lengthy time.
Thanks and best of luck.
I think the admin of this web page is actually working hard in favor of his web site, for the reason that here every
information is quality based stuff.
You actually make it seem really easy with your presentation but I
in finding this topic to be really something that I think I might by no means
understand. It kind of feels too complex and extremely vast for me.
I am taking a look forward on your next publish, I will attempt
to get the grasp of it!
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, as well
as the content!
What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve
found It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads.
I am hoping to contribute & aid different users like its
helped me. Good job.
If you want to get much from this paragraph then you
have to apply these techniques to your won blog.
each time i used to read smaller articles or reviews that as well clear their motive, and that is also
happening with this article which I am reading at
this place.
I every time emailed this web site post page to all my associates, since
if like to read it after that my friends will too.
Right now it appears like WordPress is the best blogging platform available right now.
(from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re
using on your blog?
Hi there are using WordPress for your blog platform?
I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you need any html coding knowledge to
make your own blog? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Admiring the persistence you put into your site
and in depth information you offer. It’s nice to
come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t
the same old rehashed information. Wonderful read!
I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds
to my Google account.
I could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
I quite like reading through an article that will
make men and women think. Also, many thanks for allowing me to comment!
My spouse and I stumbled over here from a different page and
thought I may as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to exploring your web page for a second time.
Right here is the right blog for everyone who wishes to find out about
this topic. You know a whole lot its almost hard to argue with
you (not that I actually will need to…HaHa).
You certainly put a new spin on a topic which has been discussed for a long time.
Excellent stuff, just excellent!
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your
weblog and wished to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write
again soon!
Hello, after reading this remarkable post i am also
cheerful to share my know-how here with mates.