Bhukya Lakshmi

I live and work out of my house at H. No. 13-10 in Hemla Thanda. This is a small village area in Mellacheruvu, and life here moves at its own pace. My business isn't something you’d see in a big city mall. It’s just a local operation where I help out the people in the thanda with what they need. Whether it’s helping with the harvest or managing small trade, I’m usually busy with something. The house is always open, and there is usually a neighbor sitting on the porch talking about the rain or the price of crops. We don't have paved roads everywhere, so when it rains, it gets quite muddy around here. I’ve been in this part of Telangana my whole life. My family is here, and everyone knows everyone else’s business. It’s a community where you don't need a business card. If someone needs me, they just walk down the path and knock on the door. I don't have a computer or a fancy filing system. I keep everything in my head or in a small notebook I carry around. It’s a simple way of doing things, but it works for us. The air is fresh here, even if the work is physical and tiring. We just take it day by day, making sure the work is done and the family is fed. That is just how life goes in Hemla Thanda, and I wouldn't have it any other way.