Srinu Nayak Lambadi

My name is Srinu Nayak Lambadi. You can find my place at H No 7-40 in Zammula Nayak Thanda. It’s part of Fareedpur Village in the Chinna Chintha Kunta Mandal. Living out here in the Thanda is a different kind of life. It’s away from the main roads and the noise. I do local work, mostly related to what the community needs. It’s not a business with a logo or a uniform. I just use my hands and the tools I have. The weather out here in Chinna Chintha Kunta can be really tough, especially in the summer when the sun is beating down on the fields. We don't have fancy offices with fans or air conditioning. Most of the work is done outside or in the shed behind the house. I learned everything I know from my father and the older men in the village. We don't write down everything in books; we just remember what needs to be done. Sometimes people from the city come by and they don't understand how we do things, but it works for us. I’m just trying to make a living and keep the traditions of our Thanda going. It’s hard work and the pay isn’t always steady, but it’s the life I know. We have our festivals and celebrations in the Thanda, and those are the days when we don't do any work at all. It’s important to take those breaks. My hands are rough from the work, and my boots are always dirty.