M. R. S. Masala

Kasidanga is a quiet village, mostly. Our place is tucked away near Balia, under the Sagardighi police station area. It's not the easiest place to find if you aren't from around here, but the locals know the way. We started M. R. S. Masala just to have something steady to do with our hands. The building is simple, nothing fancy about the bricks or the tin roof that rattles when it rains. We spend most of our mornings sorting through raw materials that come in from the markets nearby. There’s a lot of dust and noise once the grinding starts. The village kids sometimes peek in to see what’s going on, and we usually tell them to stay back so they don't get dust in their eyes. We don't have a big team, just a few of us working the machines and packing things into plain bags. It’s a repetitive job, day in and day out. Sometimes the humidity makes the spices clump up and we have to stop and fix it. It’s frustrating but that’s just how it goes in this part of the country. We don’t use any big marketing tricks. People in Kasidanga know who we are and they just stop by when they need something. It’s a small life, honestly. We keep the records in a messy drawer and try to stay on top of things. The smell of cumin is everywhere.