Lakshmi Rice & Gen. Mills

Out on Fatehpur Road in Hiragarh, Bhunarheri, you will find Lakshmi Rice & Gen. Mills. It is a busy spot, especially when the trucks start lining up outside. The mill has been part of this landscape for years. Inside, the air is thick with that dry smell of rice husks and grain. We don’t have much in the way of a front office, just a small room with a desk where the paperwork happens. Mostly, everyone is out on the floor or in the storage area. The equipment isn't brand new, but it handles what we need it to. Every morning starts with checking the boilers and making sure the labor is ready for the day’s load. Bhunarheri is a quiet place otherwise, but this stretch of Fatehpur Road stays active because of the milling. We see the same farmers coming back every season, and we usually know who is bringing what before they even unhook the trailers. It is a repetitive job, day in and day out, but it keeps the town moving. We have some sheds for storage that get quite hot in the summer months. There is no air conditioning here, just a few ceiling fans that mostly move the dust around. We focus on getting the paddy processed and packed so it can be sent out on the trucks. It’s hard work, and we are usually tired by the time the sun goes down.