A new Mumbai Dabbawala International Experience Centre (MDIEC) in Bandra will teleport you in the midst of all the delivery action by using immersive technology
A view of the new space in Bandra West. PICS/KIRTI SURVE PARADE
During a walkthrough of a first-of-its-kind experience centre in Bandra West dedicated to the iconic dabbawalas, we ironically reel under dreadful afternoon hunger pangs. Can you really blame us? Fragrance diffusers placed in the 3,000-sqft space are dispensing the aroma of freshly roasted masalas.
Soon a whiff of fresh chafa flowers fills the room. “The idea is to put you in the shoes of the dabbawalas. You get to smell, see, and hear what our men experience on their day in the field,” a staff member reveals.
This exhibit of an old-school bicycle — the kind that kickstarted the journey back in 1890 — has a familiar surprise if you step close enough. A motion sensor-enabled information panel plays ambient sounds from local stations. We’re instantly transported to the busy platforms of Mumbai. Hear it for yourself
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At a grand inauguration today, dabbawalas clad in their signature white uniforms will show up in large numbers to inaugurate the space in the company of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
While the dabbawalas don’t need AI any time soon to maintain their world-class accuracy, you can give it a go. Step in front of this AI-enabled screen, choose a template and wait for the interface to superimpose your face on a dabbawala. Don’t forget to say cheese; wearing a smile is part of the dabbawala uniform, after all
“The centre was finished and ready to be opened nearly a year ago. Unfortunately, the heartbreaking news of Mr Ratan Tata’s death reached us, and we deemed it unfit to unveil it then. The centre will be open to the public after today’s inauguration,” shares Subodh Sangle, spokesperson for the centre. Without spilling all the beans from our gastronomy-meets-tech visit, here’s a sneak peek into our favourite sections at the centre that mid-day had access to.
If you’d like to see it to believe it, don a VR headset in the VR Zone that presents a 360-degree video of a day in the life, starting from the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
The 3000-sqft space has much more to explore, including a lesson in the 135-year-old history of the community, a wall installation dedicated to the city, and a centrepiece that features an idol of the community’s deity, Lord Vitthal, carefully placed inside a shiny tiffin. One thing’s for sure, God — at least at the MDIEC — is in the details.
Riddle me this... Find the answers to all your questions about the ingenious code system that ensures tiffin boxes reach their destinations on time every single day. An adjacent exhibit presents vintage dabbas from a bygone era
AT Harmony Apartments, Rizvi Complex, Pali Hill, Bandra West.
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