About the Authors
Hugh and Colleen Gantzer
- They are a famous Indian couple
- They are well-known for travel writing and photography
- They have explored India extensively and written about its diverse cultures
- Their articles appear in many publications in India and abroad
- They have written several books including travel guides and travelogues
- Their photographs accompany their travel articles and books
Summary of 'The Saga of the Tiffin Carriers'
English Summary:
This article tells the story of Mumbai's dabbawalas, who deliver home-cooked lunch to office workers. The system started in 1890 when an old Parsi lady asked Mahadu Havaji Bacha to deliver lunch to her husband's office. Today, there are 5,000 dabbawalas serving 2 lakh (200,000) customers. They pick up tiffin boxes from homes in the morning, deliver them to offices by 1:00 pm, and return empty boxes by 5:30 pm. They use alpha-numerical markings to identify each tiffin box. The system is so efficient that international business schools and Prince Charles of England have praised it. The dabbawalas are disciplined, well-trained, and have never failed in their service.
Malayalam Summary (സംഗ്രഹം):
മുംബൈയിലെ ഡബ്ബാവാലകളുടെ കഥയാണ് ഈ ലേഖനം പറയുന്നത്. അവർ ഓഫീസിൽ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്നവർക്ക് വീട്ടിൽ നിന്ന് പാചകം ചെയ്ത ഉച്ചഭക്ഷണം എത്തിച്ചു കൊടുക്കുന്നു. 1890-ൽ ഒരു വൃദ്ധയായ പാഴ്സി സ്ത്രീ മഹദു ഹവാജി ബച്ചയോട് തന്റെ ഭർത്താവിന്റെ ഓഫീസിലേക്ക് ടിഫിൻ എത്തിക്കാൻ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടതോടെയാണ് ഈ സംവിധാനം ആരംഭിച്ചത്. ഇന്ന് 5,000 ഡബ്ബാവാലകൾ 2 ലക്ഷം (200,000) ഉപഭോക്താക്കൾക്ക് സേവനം നൽകുന്നു. അവർ രാവിലെ വീടുകളിൽ നിന്ന് ടിഫിൻ ബോക്സുകൾ എടുക്കുകയും ഉച്ചയ്ക്ക് 1:00 മണിക്ക് ഓഫീസുകളിൽ എത്തിക്കുകയും വൈകുന്നേരം 5:30 മണിക്ക് ഒഴിഞ്ഞ ബോക്സുകൾ തിരികെ നൽകുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. ഓരോ ടിഫിൻ ബോക്സും തിരിച്ചറിയാൻ അവർ ആൽഫ-ന്യൂമറിക്കൽ അടയാളങ്ങൾ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു. അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര ബിസിനസ് സ്കൂളുകളും ഇംഗ്ലണ്ടിലെ പ്രിൻസ് ചാൾസും പ്രശംസിക്കുന്ന തരത്തിൽ കാര്യക്ഷമമാണ് ഈ സംവിധാനം. ഡബ്ബാവാലകൾ അച്ചടക്കമുള്ളവരും നല്ല പരിശീലനം ലഭിച്ചവരുമാണ്, അവരുടെ സേവനത്തിൽ ഒരിക്കലും പരാജയപ്പെട്ടിട്ടില്ല.
Questions and Answers
While We Read Questions:
a. What unique characteristics of Mumbai make the dabbawalas essential?
Answer: The unique characteristics are:
- High land prices - Employees cannot afford to live near their workplace
- Long distances - Workers live far from offices
- Diverse population - People from all over India with different food habits and dietary restrictions
- High cost of living - Eating at downtown restaurants is very expensive
- Indian food culture - Indians prefer hot, home-cooked food, not sandwiches or cold food
- Two difficult options - Workers must either starve all day or have home-cooked meals delivered
These reasons make the dabbawala service essential for Mumbai workers.
b. What are some of the challenges to the dabbawala system?
Answer: The challenges include:
- Picking up tiffins from distant places like Andheri
- Carrying heavy trays (85-100 kilos)
- Delivering on time through crowded Mumbai
- Changing trays at five different points very quickly
- Managing 2 lakh customers daily without mistakes
c. Who was the first person to seek the services of a dabbawala?
Answer: An old Parsi lady from Dadar suburb was the first person. In 1890, she asked Mahadu Havaji Bacha to deliver lunch to her husband who worked in Bombay.
d. What is the range and extent of the dabbawala system in Mumbai now?
Answer:
- Total dabbawalas: 5,000 (3,500 on Western Railway, 1,500 on Central Railway)
- Customers: 2 lakh (200,000) and growing
- Coverage: All across Mumbai from suburbs to offices
e. Why, according to you, did the dabbawalas earn recognition and admiration from international business schools?
Answer: Because:
- Their system is extremely efficient and flawless
- They created their own organization without formal education
- They manage complex logistics without technology
- They maintain 100% accuracy in delivery
- They are self-disciplined and professional
- MBAs cannot design such a perfect system
f. Do the dabbawalas support fast food? Substantiate your answer.
Answer: No, the dabbawalas do not support fast food. When asked about fast food eateries, they said "Chhah! You can't live on fast food." This shows they believe home-cooked food is healthier and better.
g. How do the dabbawalas ensure the punctuality of the customers?
Answer: They follow strict rules:
- If tiffin is not ready at pick-up time, they leave but give one more chance
- Next time if delayed, they remove the customer from their list
- If customer is late at delivery time (2:00 pm), they leave after one chance
- This makes customers punctual
h. How are the alpha-numerical markings on the tiffin carriers significant?
Answer: The markings are very important because they indicate:
- Location of the customer's flat
- The changing points during journey
- The delivery points (offices)
- The dabbawalas involved in handling
- This helps ensure accurate delivery without mistakes
i. The dabbawalas undergo rigorous training before they join the system. Do you think such training is essential to ensure the efficiency of any system? Why?
Answer: Yes, training is essential because:
- They learn to deal courteously with customers
- They cannot be uncouth or drunk
- They must follow strict discipline (wearing white caps)
- They learn the complex delivery system
- Training ensures professionalism and efficiency
j. Who was E.L. Paulo, and what was his experience with the dabbawalas?
Answer: E.L. Paulo was the Director and Secretary of the Textiles Export Promotion Council. He lived in Mira Road suburb and used dabbawala service for 10 years. He said they never missed delivery in all those years. He called it a wonderful and very reliable service.
k. What special recognition did the dabbawalas receive from Prince Charles of England, and what might have impressed him about their system?
Answer:
- Prince Charles asked dabbawalas to explain their system to him
- They sent him a present for his wedding
- They have a letter from him
- He was impressed by their flawless system, perfect organization, and incredible efficiency without formal education or technology
Let's Rewind Questions:
1. How does the article on the dabbawalas illustrate the importance of discipline and organisational skills? What lessons can we draw from the system?
Answer: The article shows discipline and organisational skills through:
Discipline:
- Strict punctuality (pick-up at 8:00 am, delivery by 1:00 pm)
- Rules for customers and dabbawalas
- Wearing white caps (mandatory)
- No drinking or uncouth behavior
- Fines for breaking rules
Organisational Skills:
- Alpha-numerical marking system
- Five changing points managed efficiently
- 5,000 dabbawalas working in coordination
- Serving 2 lakh customers daily without errors
Lessons:
- Discipline leads to success
- Simple systems can be highly effective
- Teamwork and coordination are important
- Punctuality builds trust
- Self-made systems can work better than formal ones
2. What is the process involved in the flawless system of the dabbawalas, from picking up the food to finally returning the empty lunch boxes?
Answer:
Step-by-step process:
- 8:00 am - Pick up tiffin boxes from homes (earliest time)
- Marking - Each tiffin has alpha-numerical codes showing location, changing points, delivery office, and dabbawalas involved
- Packing - 40-45 tiffins packed in one tray (weighing 85-100 kg)
- Transport - Carried by trains, hand-drawn carts, cycles, or on shoulders
- Changing Points - Trays are offloaded and changed at 5 different points quickly and accurately
- 1:00 pm - Delivery to offices (or earlier)
- 2:00 pm - Collection of empty tiffins from offices
- Sorting - Empty tiffins sorted and packed for return journey
- 5:30 pm - Empty tiffins delivered back to homes (latest time)
Cost: Rs. 500 per month per customer
3. Discuss with your friends the role and significance of the dabbawalas in Mumbai and note down the points.
Answer:
Role of Dabbawalas:
- Connect homes with offices
- Ensure workers get home-cooked food
- Provide employment to 5,000 people
- Serve 2 lakh families daily
Significance:
- Part of Mumbai's culture and identity
- Show that Indian systems can be world-class
- Prove that education is not necessary for success
- Maintain family connections (home food at work)
- Reliable service for over 130 years
- Environmental-friendly (no plastic, reusable boxes)
- Support healthy eating habits
- Show the importance of teamwork and discipline
4. Explain how the dabbawalas' unique service has stood the test of time to meet the needs of the city's diverse population. Support your points with evidence from the passage.
Answer:
How the service survived:
- Reliability - E.L. Paulo used the service for 10 years without a single miss
- Growing demand - Customers increasing from 2 lakh despite fast food
- Efficiency - Flawless system praised by international business schools
- Adaptability - Started with one customer in 1890, now serves 2 lakh
- Quality control - Remove late customers to maintain standards
- Training - Rigorous training ensures professional service
- Organization - Self-created system that even MBAs cannot design
- Recognition - Admired by Prince Charles and business experts
- Affordability - Only Rs. 500 per month
- Health focus - Against fast food, promote home-cooked meals
Evidence: "In all these ten years, they have never missed. It's a wonderful service. Very reliable" - E.L. Paulo
5. How do the dabbawalas maintain discipline and professionalism?
Answer:
Discipline measures:
- Rigorous training before joining
- Must wear white caps (mandatory)
- Fine for first offense if cap forgotten
- Removal from Association for repeated offense
- Cannot be uncouth or drunk
- Must deal courteously with customers
Professionalism:
- Strict timings (8:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 5:30 pm)
- One-chance rule for late customers
- Remove customers who delay repeatedly
- Tightly controlled organization
- Self-discipline and self-regulation
- Respect for customers and work
Result: Zero mistakes, 100% reliability, international recognition
Important Words and Meanings
- Dabbawalas - Tiffin box carriers/deliverers
- Tiffin carrier - Lunch box
- Terminus/Terminuses - End station of railway line
- Coffin-sized crates - Large box-like containers
- Laden - Heavily loaded
- Alpha-numerical markings - Codes using letters and numbers
- Flawless - Perfect, without any mistakes
- Rigorous - Very strict and thorough
- Uncouth - Rude, ill-mannered
- Festooned - Decorated, hung around
- Endorsement - Approval, recommendation
- Grassroots-generated - Created by common people, not experts
Key Facts
- Started: 1890
- Founder: Mahadu Havaji Bacha
- First customer: Old Parsi lady from Dadar
- Number of dabbawalas: 5,000
- Customers: 2 lakh (200,000)
- Oldest dabbawala: Bikaji (74 years old, working for 50 years)
- Youngest dabbawala: 21 years old
- Cost: Rs. 500 per month per customer
- Tiffins per tray: 40-45
- Weight per tray: 85-100 kg
- Changing points: 5
- Recognition: International business schools, Prince Charles of England