Raj Metals

If you head down to Kamakshipalaym, you'll find us at 343, right near the Sri Ram Mandir. You can usually hear us before you see us because of all the metal clanging together. It’s a dusty place, mostly because we are always moving pipes, sheets, and rods around. Metalwork is heavy and it makes your hands calloused and dirty. We don't mind it much. The temple nearby is a nice landmark, and sometimes you can hear the bells over the sound of our work. The shop floor is covered in scraps and the smell of iron is everywhere. We get all sorts of people coming in, from contractors needing stuff for a big build to a guy just needing a small piece of steel for a repair at home. We cut things to size and load them up, which is a lot of physical effort. It gets really hot in the middle of the afternoon, so we take breaks under the fan whenever we can. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s what we do. The neighborhood is full of small workshops like ours, so we fit right in. We just focus on getting the measurements right and making sure the stacks don't tip over. It’s honest work and we’ve been at it for a long time.