The famous Dabbawalas or tiffin carriers of Mumbai will be celebrating the wedding of Prince Harry of the British royal family and Hollywood actor Meghan Markle in a special way.
They are going to distribute sweets to relatives of patients at the government-run Tata Memorial Hospital, KEM Hospital and Wadia Hospital here on May 19, the wedding day.
The Dabbawalas ferry tiffins of home-made food to thousands of office-goers in the city every day. They also provide free food outside these three hospitals to the relatives of patients who come from far-away places.
"We have an emotional connect with the British royal family. Prince Charles had invited us to his wedding some years ago. The royal family treated us with a lot of respect when we attended the wedding," said Subhash Talekar, spokesperson of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association.
"We have decided that along with the good quality food that we provide to the relatives of patients outside these hospitals every day, we will distribute them sweets on May 19 to mark the wedding," he said.
The association also plans to gift traditional Maharashtrian wedding outfits to the would-be royal couple through the British Consulate here, he said.
Some five thousand Dabbawalas deliver around two lakh lunch boxes to offices in Mumbai every day. They are known for their flawless delivery system, which has been studied by global management experts.
Harry (33), fifth-in-line to the British throne, and Markle (36) are set to get married in a ceremony at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19.
