Green Valley Spices

Up here in Panickankudy things are a bit different than the city. We are right near the Govt. High School so we hear the bell ring and the kids shouting every afternoon. No. 8 is our spot on the road. We handle spices and the air inside the shop is thick with the smell of pepper and cardamom. It makes you sneeze if you are not used to it. We spend a lot of time sorting through the dried goods by hand. It is not a fast process and requires some patience. We sit on small wooden stools and check the quality of what comes in from the local growers. The bags are heavy and made of rough jute. We do not have a big fancy storefront with glass windows. It is more of a functional space for work. The wooden counter has been here since we first opened the doors. It has got scratches and marks from years of heavy use. We do not do any big advertising or anything like that. People around here know where to find us when they need spices for their cooking. Sometimes the electricity goes out in the village and we have to use candles or work by the light from the open door. It is peaceful in a way despite the school noise next door. We keep the spices in big metal bins and scoop them out. It is a dusty job.