Kohli Aatta Chakki

The machines at Kohli Aatta Chakki start up pretty early because there is always a lot of grain to grind. We are over at Shop No. 10 in the Purani 10 Dukaan area of Shastri Nagar. If you know the Chhota Central Park, you know we aren't far from there. Kanpur summers are tough, and the heat from the motors makes it even hotter inside the shop. There is always a layer of white flour dust on the floor no matter how much we sweep. Customers bring their own sacks of wheat, and we just weigh it and get to work. It is loud in here, so we usually have to shout a bit to hear what people are saying. We have been in this spot for years, and most of the neighbors just drop off their stuff and come back later. Sometimes people ask for bajra or corn flour depending on the season. It’s a simple business, nothing fancy. We don't have a big sign or bright lights, just the sound of the chakki. My father started this and now I help him run it every day. We have a small bench outside for people to sit while they wait, but mostly they just stand and chat about the news. It’s a busy corner of Kanpur, and there’s always something happening near the park. We just try to keep the machines running and make sure everyone gets their bags back on time without any mix-ups.