Mumbai's Dabbawala Tour

Description

If you've ever been to Mumbai, you must have heard of the Dabbawalas. But if you're not familiar with them, let me explain. A Dabbawala is someone who carries lunch boxes. In Hindi, "dabbawala" literally means "one who carries a box." They are known as the lunch box delivery men in English.

Every day in the city of Mumbai, around 5,000 dabbawalas deliver approximately 130,000 lunch boxes to offices across the metropolis. This service has been running for almost 120 years, and their approach has remained consistent. The dabbawalas, many of whom are semi-literate, pick up the filled lunch boxes from households and deliver them to the respective offices. Once the lunch boxes are empty, they collect them from the offices and return them to the homes to start the process again the next day. This entire process is completed within six hours each day, six days a week, for 51 weeks a year. The dabbawalas operate at a quality level comparable to the Six Sigma processes, achieving operational excellence without the use of technology such as computers or cell phones. Their remarkable stories inspire other teams to rethink their own paradigms.

Moving on to another attraction in Mumbai, we have Dhobi Ghat, an open-air laundry. The Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat is a famous open-air laundromat located in Mumbai, India. The local washers, known as Dhobis, work in the open to wash clothes from hotels and hospitals in Mumbai. Dhobi Ghat is a series of open-air concrete wash pens, each equipped with its own flogging stone. It is considered the largest outdoor laundry in the world and a popular tourist spot for foreigners. In fact, the term "Dhobi Ghat" is commonly used in India to refer to any place where many washers are present. You can easily observe Dhobi Ghat from the flyover bridge of Mahalaxmi station, as it is situated next to the Mahalaxmi railway station on the Western Railway’s Saat Rasta roundabout. In 2013, Dhobi Kalyan received recognition from World Records India and World Amazing Records, earning a World Record Certificate.

Now, let's talk about Dharavi, the heart of Mumbai and Asia's largest slum. Established during the British Raj in 1882, Dharavi continues to be an iconic destination for those fascinated by urban life. However, Dharavi is more than just a historical area demonstrating poverty in Mumbai. It is a place where creative solutions are born in small spaces. We invite you to explore the hidden gems of Mumbai through our walking tours of Dharavi's industries and residential areas. By doing so, you'll gain insight into the community's unique strengths, opportunities, and challenges. Our aim is to raise awareness and challenge the negative perceptions often associated with slums. The tour lasts approximately 2.5 hours and includes strolling through the narrow alleyways of Dharavi. We conclude the tour by visiting the KumbharWada pottery colony, where you can witness artisans making various pots from unfired, sun-dried clay. If you've seen the film "Slumdog Millionaire," you might recognize some areas of Dharavi, as parts of the movie were shot there.