Rahul Steels

Down in Kundara, specifically over at Pallimukku, you’ll find us at Guru Mandiram. It’s not a fancy setup. We mostly deal with steel and the heavy lifting that comes with it. The yard gets quite a bit of sun, which makes the metal hot to the touch by midday. We’ve learned to keep our gloves handy. There’s a lot of noise from the cutters and the trucks backing in from the main road. It’s a rhythmic kind of sound that you eventually stop noticing. Most of our days are spent checking the stock and making sure the measurements are right. We aren't big on decorations here. The walls have some old calendars and a few hooks for our shirts. It’s a place for work, plain and simple. We get a lot of locals coming in for small bits of steel for their houses or projects. We know most of them by name now. It’s quiet in the early morning before the machines start up, which is probably the best time of the day. Sometimes we sit out front for five minutes before the first customer shows up. We don't have a big corporate team, just a few of us who know the trade. Dealing with heavy materials keeps you on your toes. You have to be careful where you step. It’s been our routine for a long time. We just keep our heads down and do what needs to be done.