Exide Lalith Enterprises

Exide Lalith Enterprises sits on Magadi Main Road, right in the middle of the Gultekdi Industrial Estate at number 127. It’s a loud area with trucks always rumbling past and the smell of exhaust in the air. Inside our shop, things are heavy. We deal with big batteries all day, so there is a lot of dragging and lifting involved. The floor is stained with spots from over the years, and we have rows of black casings lined up against the walls. It isn’t the kind of place you come to for a relaxing chat, though we do talk to the drivers and mechanics who stop by. We keep the doors wide open to get some air because it gets hot with all the charging units running. There is a small desk in the corner where the paperwork sits, usually under a paperweight so the wind doesn't blow it away. We spend a lot of time checking levels and making sure the terminals are clean. Our hands are usually a bit dirty by noon, and we just wipe them on old rags we keep under the counter. It is honest, physical work that doesn't change much from one week to the next. When the industrial estate starts to quiet down in the evening, we start moving the stock inside and locking up the heavy gates. It’s just us, the heavy batteries, and the constant sound of the Magadi Main Road traffic out there.