Vaikath Hollow Bricks

Out here in Chottupara, things are usually quiet until we start up the machines. Vaikath Hollow Bricks is located right in Periyar, and we’ve been making these bricks for quite some time now. It is a straightforward job. We take the raw materials, mix them, and press them into the hollow shapes. The yard is usually full of rows of bricks drying in the sun. If you come down to Chottupara, you will see us working near the road. It’s a lot of heavy lifting. My back feels it some days, but that is part of the trade. We don’t have a flashy sign or a big marketing team. It’s just us and the bricks. The weather in Periyar can be a bit much sometimes, either too hot or too rainy, which messes with the drying time. We just deal with it as it comes. People from around the neighborhood stop in when they are building a wall or a small shed. We talk about the size of the order and when they can pick it up. It is mostly local folks. Vaikath Hollow Bricks is basically just a small yard where we work hard and hope for good weather. We don’t try to be anything we aren’t. The bricks are heavy, the sun is hot, and we stay busy from Monday to Saturday. It’s a simple life out here in this part of Periyar. We like being part of the landscape and seeing our bricks end up in buildings nearby. It’s not about being the biggest, just about being here.