Shanbhag Rice, Oil And Poha Mill

Down in Haldipur, things move a bit slower than in the big cities. Our place, Shanbhag Rice, Oil And Poha Mill, is right in the middle of it. Dist.Karwar is a beautiful area but we mostly see the inside of the mill and the warehouse. We handle a few different things here, like the rice and the oil, and we also do poha which keeps us pretty busy during certain months. The smell of the oil pressing is something you get used to after a few days. It's thick and kind of earthy. We have a small crew of workers from around the village. Most of them have been with us for a long time. We don't really use much technology, just the machines that have been here for years. They need a lot of oiling and care to keep running right. Sometimes the rain in Karwar gets so heavy we can't hear ourselves talk under the tin roof. We just wait it out. There’s always bags to move or machines to check on. We aren't trying to change the world or anything like that. We just want to make sure the poha is thin and the rice is clean. It’s hard work and our hands are always a bit rough from the grain, but it’s a living. We’ve been at this in Haldipur for as long as I can remember. It is what we know and what we do every day.