A Life of Dabbawala

                       Dabbawala

One of the world’s most populous cities, Mumbai is home to almost 20 million people, 7.5 million of whom commute to and from work every weekday. As a result, the metropolis’s public transport system, with its snaking grid of trains and tubes, is fit to burst, ferrying its cargo around like so many red blood cells in a vast network of veins and arteries. It’s an immense but incredibly organised species of chaos.

As well as making sure all these employees arrive at their workplace on time, another necessity is guaranteeing they’re equally well fed and watered. Step forward the humble but hallowed Mumbai dabbawala – “one who carries a box” – who form a community of over 5,000 brethren responsible for delivering as many as 200,000 meals every single lunchtime. Dispensing with all forms of technology that are more sophisticated than a locomotive, the sprawling team feed the city’s workforce on schedule and without making mistakes, time and time again.

Where to see Dabbawalas

If you just wander around the streets of Mumbai, you'll likely spot a dabbawala at work. But to see the real action, head down to Churchgate station in the morning or afternoon. Many dabbawalas congregate outside sorting their lunch boxes ready to be delivered or returned