The teeming, noisome and colourful city of Mumbai is one of the best places in India to experience all the subtleties, wonders and quirks of what it means to be an Indian. The over-the-top hectic and rather chic lifestyle of Mumbai that is driven faster than a speeding bullet has given rise to interesting businesses and livelihoods in this bustling urban landscape. On such fascinating aspect of life in Mumbai is the Dabbawalas of the city; the tireless lunch carriers of the Indian metropolis.
The term 'Dabbawala' literally means 'person with a box', as these interesting 'servicemen' carry many hundreds of little tin boxes packed with spicy Indian meals from homes to the offices and business of the city of Mumbai, where their hungry clients anticipate their arrival with the home cooked meal at lunchtime. Assuredly, they also take care of the job of bringing back the boxes from the workplaces to the homes in the suburbs in the evening. The sheer complexity of the task of the Dabbawalas of Mumbai, and the enthusiasm with which they handle it is both interesting and inspiring to observe, and it's not hard to catch the sight of these men rushing through the town early morning, dressed in a simple and manageable white suit and hat, carrying what seems to be an impossible cargo of lunchboxes. The Dabbawalas work with an efficient supply chain; one of the best in the world, where collecting Dabbawalas get the lunchboxes from homes and lunch makers to the collecting centres, each box marked with a unique marker to set the owner and destination. These are put on train to their destinations around Mumbai, and the local Dabbawalas wait at each station for their batch of boxes which makes its way to their customers right on time for lunch.
In present day Mumbai, the service of the Dabbawalas has become an important gear that keeps the massive engine that is known as Mumbai running through its daily businesses. Even bad weather is not enough to keep the good Dabbawalas of Mumbai down, as they know all the shortcuts and detours of the particular neighbourhood they serve better than the back of their hand. The close bond they form with their customers assures their service is highly appreciated by the busy commuters of tireless Mumbai.
Staying at the city enjoying the comforts of best Mumbai hotels, you can have a glimpse into the daily doings of the Dabbawalas. Any business hotel Mumbai is known for like the The Leela Kempinski Mumbai can offer a great hotel deal which will make your time at Mumbai worth the while.
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