The British introduced the tradition of "Tiffin" in India. Nowhere in India, except Mumbai (formerly Bombay), has it taken such a strong hold. From this habit of taking a snack-break at lunchtime, evolved the institution called "the Dubba-wallas". This is an organisation of lunch box carriers, absolutely, unique to Mumbai. The office / factory workers of Mumbai have to leave their homes very early in the morning to get to work on time. After they have left, their wives / mothers / sisters cook the meal and pack the lunch box (dubba). The dubbawalla arrives at the appointed time, collects the dubba and through a relay system, ensures that the right person gets the right dubba. After lunchtime the whole process is reversed and the dubba arrives back at the starting point.

The only identification marks on these dubbas are some coded scribbles put there by the dubba-walla organisation. Since there are literally, hundreds and thousands of dubbas being transported every day, to and fro, how the right dubbas reach their rightful owners in the workplaces and back again to the right homes, is nothing short of astounding. On the local trains, these dubba-wallas have specially reserved compartments for safe transportation of this valuable cargo. An organisation similar to this does not exist anywhere else in India or the world.
Explaination courtesy India Travelogue.com

 

 

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