Pradhan Spices India Pvt. Ltd.

Our place is in a village called Gaudadiha in the Shyamakhunta area of Mayurbhanj. We are located near the Shiv Mandir, so you can always hear the temple music in the mornings. It is a very green area with lots of trees around the building. We process a lot of local spices that come from the nearby fields. The air inside the building is always thick with the smell of turmeric and dried chilies. It makes everyone sneeze when we are grinding the big batches. We wear simple cotton clothes because the stains from the spices never really come out in the wash. My hands are almost always stained a bit yellow from the turmeric. We have a few old machines that we have to fix ourselves quite often. It is a very hands-on kind of job and we spend a lot of time on our feet. The neighbors often bring us snacks or tea while we are working. We do not have a fancy office or a marketing department. We just focus on getting the spices dried and packed into the sacks for the market. Life here is very connected to the seasons and the weather. When it rains, we have to hurry to cover everything up. It is a simple way to make a living and we are proud of the work we do.