Bala Rice Mill

If you head down Valingonda Road in Anantharam, you will eventually find us at Sy No 28 and 31. This is where the rice mill sits. It is a big, loud place, and you can hear the heavy machines humming from quite a distance away before you even see the gate. We spend our days processing the grain that comes in from the local fields nearby. The air inside is always thick with the smell of dry husks and the fine dust from the milling process. We wear old clothes because everything gets covered in a thin layer of white powder by the time noon rolls around. It is hard work, especially when the harvest season is in and the trucks are lined up outside waiting to be unloaded. We have to keep the equipment running smoothly, which means a lot of oiling and cleaning late into the night. There isn't anything fancy or modern about the mill; it’s just big open sheds and heavy machinery. We don't have a fancy website or any kind of marketing department. We just talk to the farmers and the traders who come by every day. The sun beats down on the corrugated metal roof, making it quite warm inside during the day, but we are used to it. We focus on the grain and making sure the bags are filled and stitched properly. It’s a basic part of life here in Anantharam, and we are just glad to be working through the seasons.