Hira Spices

Starting Hira Spices wasn't something we planned for a long time. It just happened because we live here in Eradavipuram and needed something to do that felt useful. My family has always spent a lot of time in the kitchen, messing around with different pods and seeds to get the smell right for dinner. We started with a small grinder in the back room. It’s noisy and makes the whole house smell like turmeric and pepper for days, but you get used to it after a while. Most of our days are spent checking the bags and making sure nothing got damp. It’s humid here, which isn't great for dry stuff, so we have to be careful about where we stack the crates. We don’t have a big team or a fancy office with glass windows. It's just a few of us working together, usually with the radio on or just talking about what’s happening in the neighborhood. People stop by sometimes just to say hello or ask if we have any fresh chili powder ready yet. We try to keep things simple because that’s what works for us. If a batch isn't perfect, we don't sell it, and that’s about the only rule we really follow around here. It gets dusty, and our clothes usually end up stained orange, but it’s honest work that keeps us busy from morning until the sun goes down.