dabba

Dabba is a term used in several South Asian languages to denote a container or box. In Hindi, Urdu, and Marathi, dabba commonly refers to a box made of metal or plastic, and in many urban contexts it specifically means a lunchbox used to carry meals from home to work or school.

In Mumbai and other parts of India, the word dabba is closely associated with the dabbawala lunchbox delivery network. In this system, thousands of dabbawalas arrange, collect, and sort lunchboxes—dabbe or dabbas—at homes, then transport them by bicycle, train, and handcart to offices, where cooks or family members serve lunch. The empty boxes travel back to the origin in the reverse sequence.

Operation details: approximately five to six thousand dabbawalas handle around 200,000 meals per day. The process relies on a coded labeling and sorting system, color marks, and timetable alignment. The error rate is historically very low, with studies highlighting the reliability of the network.

UNESCO recognition: In 2014, the Dabbawala lunchbox system was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for its tradition of urban logistics and cooperative social practice.

Other meanings: Beyond the lunchbox context, dabba simply means any box or container in Hindustani; it can refer to gift boxes, containers for food, or other packaging, and the term appears in various regional phrases.