Who started Mumbai Dabbawala?

Mahadeo Havaji Bachche
So, in 1890, Mahadeo Havaji Bachche started a lunch delivery service in Bombay with about a hundred men. This proved to be successful, and the service grew from there. In 1930, he informally attempted to unionize the dabbawalas.

What is the cost of Dabbawala in Mumbai?

Rain or shine is no deterrent for the dabbawalas of Mumbai, who deliver home-cooked food to office-goers . But inflation has taken its toll, and the ‘dabba’ is now set to cost ₹100 more a month. Currently monthly charges range from ₹600 to ₹1,000, depending on the distance and the time taken.

What is the history of Mumbai Dabbawala?

The business of delivering tiffin boxes in Mumbai started in 1890, when the Parsi and British communities living in Mumbai were in the need of convenient tiffin delivery service. Mahadeo Bhavaji Bachche was the first dabbawala to start tiffin delivery service to a British man on request.

How much do dabbawalas get paid?

Currently, around 5,000-odd dabbawalas ferry over 200,000 dabbas daily. They earn quite a meagre salary of Rs. 8,000 per month.

When was Mumbai Dabbawala started?

1890
Since 1890, Dressed in white outfit and traditional Gandhi Cap, Mumbai Army of 5,000 Dabbawalas fulfilling the hunger of almost 200,000 Mumbaikar with home-cooked food that is lug between home and office daily.

Which region do most of the dabbawalas belongs?

Most of the dabbawalas belong to the Varkari sect of Maharashtra, and the community is known to be a close-knit one, with the next generation often taking over from their fathers and continuing the chain, becoming dabbawalas themselves.

What makes Mumbai’s dabbawala system so special?

The true genius of the dabbawala system lies not in the quantity of tiffins delivered but the quality in which they are – the method in which the deliveries are organized and co-ordinated. For the last 126 years, the dabbawalas of Mumbai have perfected a delivery system that has been the subject of many academic studies.

Each dabbawala, regardless of role, is paid around 8,000 rupees per month (about US$131 in 2014). Between 175,000 and 200,000 lunch boxes are moved each day by 4,500 to 5,000 dabbawalas.

How did the dabba delivery start?

Many people liked the idea and the demand for Dabba delivery soared. It was all informal and individual effort in the beginning, but visionary Mahadeo Havaji Bachche saw the opportunity and started the lunch delivery service in its present team-delivery format with 100 Dabbawalas. As the city grew, the demand for Dabba delivery grew too.

What is the dabbawala coding system?

The dabbawala coding system As many dabbawalas are of limited literacy, a simple coding system comprised of colours, numbers, and letters indicate the collection point, train to be taken, and the final destination of the tiffin. This information is conveyed through markings on the lid of the box. Diagram explaining dabbawala coding system