Gujarat Dal Factory

Gujarat Dal Factory is located right near Turkha Gate in Botad. If you know the area, you know it’s a lot of activity and noise around there. The factory itself is where all the work happens. We spend our days dealing with big sacks of raw lentils that come in on trucks. The machines are old but they still do the job of splitting and cleaning everything. It gets pretty dusty inside, so we are always sweeping the floors, though it doesn’t seem to stay clean for very long. Being near the gate means we see a lot of people passing by all the time. Most of our staff live nearby, so they just walk or bike to work. We don’t have a fancy reception area or any shiny signs. It is just a practical place where we process dal and get it ready for the local markets. Sometimes the power goes out and everything goes quiet, which is actually a bit of a relief from the constant humming of the motors. We eat our lunch together in the shade when it’s hot outside. It’s simple work, but it keeps us busy from morning until late afternoon. Botad is a dry place, so we are always thirsty and drinking water from the cooler. We’ve been at this spot for years and the locals know us by the smell of the grain.