Vijay Laxmi Rice Mill

This rice mill is out in Banage village, which is part of the Kagal taluka. It is a rural area, and the mill is where the local farmers bring their paddy after the harvest. The sound of the machinery is pretty constant during the busy season. You can hear the hullers and polishers running from quite a distance away. It is a dusty place because of all the husk and bran flying around, but that is just the nature of this work. We spend our days handling heavy sacks and making sure the machines are greased and working right. It is not a quiet office job. We talk to the farmers about their crop and how the rains were this year. The mill has been a part of this village for a long time, and we know almost everyone who comes through the gates. We don't have any fancy office or a waiting room. There is just a small space with a desk and some chairs where we weigh the grain and settle the payments. The floor is concrete and often covered in a thin layer of rice dust. It is hard work, especially when the sun is hot, but it is what we do. We help get the rice ready for people to eat or sell. People from nearby villages also bring their grain here. It is a simple operation, focused on getting the job done so the farmers can get back to their fields.