Tea Factory

Our place is the Tea Factory located in Saayala, along the Jalore Road in Jalore. We are quite easy to find because we are situated right near the State Bank of India. Having the bank nearby means there is always a lot of activity and people walking around. Jalore Road is a dusty stretch, and we spend a fair amount of our time sweeping out the front of the factory. Inside, it is a bit of a maze with all the bags and equipment we have stored. We don't try to make it look like a showroom; it is a working factory first and foremost. The sounds of the machines and people shouting to be heard over them is what you hear most of the day. We start our shifts early when the air is still cool. By noon, the sun is beating down on the roof and it gets pretty hot inside, but we just keep going. We handle all the tea processing ourselves, and it is hard work that leaves us tired by the evening. Sometimes the neighbors from the bank or other shops stop by to chat for a minute. We have been in Saayala for a while and feel like a regular part of the street. When the sun goes down behind the buildings, we start cleaning up the equipment and getting ready to close. It is just a plain, honest job we do here every day.