Anil Atta Chakki

We have been at Building No. 361 in Govindpura for quite a while now. It’s right near the Malhar Cement Store, so people usually find us easily by looking for that landmark. Our shop is located in Ward No.4. Every morning we open up the shutters and get the grinding stones ready. There is always a bit of dust in the air from the wheat, but that is just how it is when you run a chakki. We spend most of our day taking heavy bags from people who live around here and turning them into fresh flour. Sometimes it gets really busy and the line goes out the door, especially on the weekends when everyone is off work. We try to keep the machines running smooth so nobody has to wait too long in the heat. The floor is usually covered in a thin layer of white powder by noon. It is noisy work, but you get used to the constant humming after a few days. My family helps out with the weighing and the bagging. We do not do anything fancy here, just grind whatever grain is brought in by the neighbors. Sometimes people ask for bajra or corn instead of the usual wheat. We just change the settings on the machine and get to it. The neighborhood has changed a lot over the years, but the way we grind the grain stays the same. We do not have a big office, just the space for the machines and enough room for people to stand.