Aara Exports

Down on Kattur Sadayappan Street in Paeriamet, things are always moving. Our place is at 11/2, and it’s where Aara Exports does all its work. The street is pretty narrow, so when a truck comes to pick up boxes, everything else has to stop for a minute. It’s a lively neighborhood, full of energy and people who’ve been here for generations. Inside, we’ve got shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling, packed with everything we’re getting ready to ship out. We spend most of our time double-checking lists and making sure the labels are stuck on right. It’s easy to make a mistake when you’re in a hurry, so we try to keep a steady pace even when things get hectic. The floor is made of old tiles that have a few cracks here and there, but they’ve seen a lot of history. We usually have the radio playing softly in the background to keep us going through the afternoon slump. Most of the people we work with are locals, so there’s a lot of chatting about family and news while we work. It’s a straightforward kind of life. We focus on getting the goods out the door and making sure the quality is what it should be. When the work is done, we lock the shutters and head home like everyone else on the street. It is a good way to earn a living.