New Delhi, Jan 22 (Inditop.com) With clanking tiffin boxes in hand, Mumbai dabbawalas scurry around India’s business capital distributing food. Now the group, which is internationally lauded for its efficiency and time management, will represent Maharashtra in the Republic Day parade.
In this year’s Republic Day parade, the theme for the Maharashtra tableau is the daily working of the dabbawalas. Clad in their traditional white garb, 12 dabbawalas from Mumbai will display their daily routine of picking up freshly-cooked food from various households, catching a local train and dropping the boxes off to people in their offices as well as returning the empty boxes.
The dabbawala community of Mumbai comprises 5,000 men who distribute food to the nearly 200,000 working people.
“Mumbai dabbawalas are known all around the world for their time management and accuracy. Every one knows about them and they are a very important part of Mumbai’s bustling business districts,” M.S. Rajput, assistant director in Maharashtra cultural affairs directorate told Inditop here Friday.
The tableau will represent various facets of the dabbawala’s work, Rajput said, adding that they were “very hopeful of winning the best tableau award among states”.
“This is a unique sight and we have brought it to the national platform. Their’s is a one of its kind food delivery system. Prince Charles is known to have spent an entire day watching them work. Reputed management schools have called some to give lectures on time management. The entire nation can learn something from them,” he said.
Dabbawala Raju Hegde, who lives in Malad in Mumbai, is very excited that he will participate in the Republic Day parade. “I never thought I would come to Delhi to be at such a big event. I am very grateful to the organisers for selecting us to participate. I am honoured that we are representing the entire state at the parade,” he said.
The dabbawala industry in Mumbai is 125 years old and grows at the rate of 5-10 percent annually, according to a New York Times report in 2007.
