Balaji Bricks

Our brick kiln is tucked away in Sukhani Basti, which is part of the Nagrakata area. It’s a bit of a trek to get out here, but it’s where we have the space and the right soil for making bricks. The atmosphere is very rural, with lots of trees and open land surrounding the site. We’ve been here for a good while, and most of the people working with us are from the local basti. Making bricks is a slow process that depends entirely on the weather. If it’s too wet, we can’t mold anything, and if it’s too dry, the clay behaves differently. We spend the day outdoors, mostly covered in dust and mud. It’s hard work, but there’s a rhythm to it that we’ve grown used to over the years. We have a small office area that’s basically just a table and a few stools under a tin roof. It’s where we sit to have our lunch and talk about the day's production. There aren't any big signs or fancy gates. Just piles of finished bricks waiting to be picked up by the local contractors. The road into Sukhani Basti can be a bit bumpy, especially after a heavy rain. We just try to keep the bricks ready so that the buildings in Nagrakata stay standing. It’s a plain, honest way to make a living, working with the earth and fire every day. Not much else to say about it.