Balaji Dall Mill

If you drive down Bikaner Road, you’ll eventually see our mill. It’s a long, dusty stretch of road, and we are right there on the edge of it. The wind blows quite a bit here, so we are always fighting to keep the sand out of the workspace. We process a lot of dal here, and the sound of the grinders is something you hear from the moment you step out of your car. Inside, it is all about the flow of the grain. We have bins and chutes that have been here for years. They are a bit worn down, but they still work as well as the day they were put in. We don’t bother with much decoration. The walls are mostly bare, except for a few calendars and some old hooks for hanging our coats. Most of the crew lives nearby, so we all know each other well. We start early, usually before the heat of the day really settles in. We spend a lot of time bagging the finished product and sewing the tops of the sacks shut. It’s repetitive work, but there is a certain rhythm to it that we all like. When the trucks come to pick up the load, it is a big rush to get everything weighed and documented. After they leave, the place feels quiet again for a little while, and we can finally sit down for a glass of water before starting the next batch of grain.