Shuvankar Rice And General Mills

Out here in Budbud, within the Burdwan district, the mill is where we spend our lives. It’s a large space because we handle both rice and general mill work. There is always a layer of husk on the ground outside and the air is thick when the machines are at full tilt. We start work when the light is still grey in the sky. The trucks arrive early, tires crunching on the gravel, and then the heavy lifting begins. It’s not just about the rice; we handle all sorts of general goods that people in this part of the country need. The metal roof gets very hot in the summer, making the whole place feel like an oven, but we just keep drinking water and moving the stock. We don’t have a fancy office or a receptionist. If you need someone, you usually have to find us near the back where the noise is loudest. The machinery is old, but we know every sound it makes and how to fix it when it decides to act up. It’s a bit of a messy job, and our clothes are always stained with grease or covered in chaff by noon. We don’t put on any acts here. It is just Shuvankar Rice and General Mills, a place where work gets done and the days are long. We are part of the landscape here in Burdwan, just another building doing its part in the cycle. We just take things one day at a time.