Rice Valley Modern Rice Mills Privatelimited

Manickamangalam is where we are, at Building 15/328-A in the Inchakyal House. It's a bit of a trek to get out here if you aren't local. Rice Valley Modern Rice Mills Privatelimited is what the sign says, but it’s mostly just us working the machines and making sure the rice is moving through. The mill is loud. You can't really talk much when everything is running, so we use a lot of hand signals. It’s been this way for a bit. The building has seen better days, maybe, but it does what it needs to do. We deal with the farmers and the trucks that come in and out all day long. Sometimes the schedules get messed up and we’re sitting around waiting, then three trucks show up at once and it’s a mad rush. That's just how it goes with rice. We don't spend money on fancy paint or nice furniture. The focus is on the bags and the weight. My clothes always smell a bit like the husk. It's a steady rhythm once you get into it. We aren't trying to be anything big, just keeping the mill going day by day. Manickamangalam Po is quiet in the evenings once we shut down the power. It feels good to finally hear the birds instead of the engines. We just lock up and head home to do it again tomorrow. It is hard work but it is what we know.