Jyoti Rice Mill

At Jyoti Rice Mill, we spend most of our days dealing with grain and machinery. We are located at 52/1, Arcot Road in Kalavai. The machines make a lot of noise throughout the day, but that is just the sound of work getting done. Farmers from the surrounding areas bring their paddy here and we process it for them. It is a dusty job and my clothes are usually covered in white husks by the time I go for lunch. We have been on Arcot Road for many years now. The building is old, with high ceilings meant to let the heat out during the summer. We handle different types of rice depending on what is in season. It is not a glamorous job, but it is what we do to make a living. Sometimes the conveyor belt gets stuck and we have to stop everything to fix it ourselves. My brother and I manage the daily operations. We don't have a big office or a front desk with a secretary. If you need us, you just walk into the main shed and look for someone. Most people in Kalavai know us by now. We try to get the milling done as fast as we can so people don't have to wait around. It gets very hot in the summer under the tin roof. We drink a lot of tea and just keep going. It is honest work. The yard is usually full of sacks waiting.