Decline of the Dabba walas

Mumbai amongst other things is home to the illustrious dabbawalas. They may not be a educated lot but they can make deliveries with surgical precision and timing. Even when the annual turnover for the dabbawalas as a whole is minuscule in comparison to other multinational companies, Forbes magazine found its consistency to be that of six sigma standards around 6 million deliveries with almost no errors.

At the turn of the century India has emerged from its socialist friendly past and turned in to a more confident player both in terms of economy and foreign relations. However along with growth in economy the social system also has changed radically. This has had a negative impact on the dabbawalas. Fewer people still stick to homemade food. One of the reason for this could be linked to the beginning of the end to male dominated Indian society. Unlike the bygone era wherein the average Indian male used to go out and hunt for money and the ideal Indian wife would stay at home take caring of domestic chores, the modern Indian has become more ambitious. They want the very best for themselves and their families and with the current levels of inflation a definitive life style doesn’t come cheap. It requires both the partners to work to bring in the funds. Sticking to homemade food is fast becoming a thing of the past. With a steady growth in economy more and more people are able to spend money towards a more comfortable lifestyle. Eating out has turned from once in a while activity to a more regular need for most Indians.

India is a very diverse country in terms of a 100 different things and the same is true also for food. These days most Indians seek variety in their daily food intake. Indianized Chinese, Punjabi dishes, indianized western food products are greatly liked and consumed in colossal quantities. The working class populace don’t want to take the effort in getting their food transported over a distance just to enjoy these delicacies. Most companies or business locations offer a wide variety of food products. Hence the dabawala stands no chance against the changing Indian attitude towards food.

Another reason for the decline in customers for the dabbawalas would be their income. Being a dabbawala is no easy task. It involves transporting heavy racks of dabbas over long distances under extremely crowded conditions. After all this effort all they get is a measly 250 rupees per day ( 5 ½ $ approx). with that kind of money and going by the current inflation levels it becomes very difficult to survive in a mega city like Mumbai. Many dabbawalas are gradually moving to greener pastures mostly smaller cities in search of a better livelihood. Mumbai is increasingly becoming a difficult city to live in. real-estate prices are exaggerated and the lower middle class is finding it difficult to maintain a roof within the city limits. The dabbawalas are also feeling this pressure however they cannot increase their billing rates as this could kill the already depleting customer base.

The only way to survive according to me would be to think for a out of the box solution. The dabawalas have roamed the humid Mumbai streets for long. They know the Mumbai topography by heart and can deliver the package accurately in record time. The dabba walas can actually diversify their business and use their extensive knowledge of the Mumbai terrain in delivering and collecting packages ranging from letters to air conditioners. The government should provide them loans for letting them setting up their own businesses. The dabba walas can also start their own kitchen and start delivering meals to offices. The ideas are many however it will take a lot of resolve both from the government and the dabbawalas themselves to turn those ideas in to reality. As the old saying goes “either evolve or go extinct” holds true not just for the dabawalas but for all of us.

The whole reason for me writing this blog was thanks to the remarkable conversation I had with this cab driver called Shankar. I was surprised to know that before becoming a cab driver Shankar used to be a dabbawala. Just like his father before him he worked as a dabbawala on the streets of Mumbai. Shankar told me that life as a dabbawala was very hectic and tiring. However most of his co-workers were from the same village and he used to enjoy spending time with them. Shankar finally gave up being a dabbawala for obvious reasons and with the help of his father purchased a car on loan. He now rides the streets of pune and is striving to make a living on his own terms.

Any enterprise big or small will have ups and downs. I feel the only way we can survive and prosper in today’s world is by diversification. Do not lay all your eggs in the same basket. And don’t get too emotional about your product since you might have to change it according to circumstances. I sincerely hope that the dabbawalas realize this before it’s too late.

Regard's

rejonmail@yahoo.com