Gayathri Rice & Flour Mill

Our mill is located in Vadavannur, right in the Kollengode area. It’s been here a while and it gets pretty loud when the machines are all running at once. We spend the whole day covered in a fine layer of white dust from the flour and the rice husks. People from the village bring their grain in big sacks, and we process it for them. You can hear the heavy thumping of the grinders from down the road. It’s hot work, especially in the afternoons, but we have the big doors open to catch whatever breeze comes through. Gayathri Rice & Flour Mill isn't a modern factory or anything. It’s just a local place with old machines that we’ve learned to fix ourselves when they rattle too much. We know most of the people who come in by their first names. They bring their rice from the fields nearby. We take turns watching the hoppers and making sure the bags are tied tight so nothing spills on the floor. The floor is concrete and always needs a sweep, but it just gets dusty again five minutes later. We close up when the sun goes down or when the last sack is done. It’s hard on the ears and the back, but it’s steady work and it keeps the village fed. We just do our bit every day, checking the belts and oiling the parts so everything stays running.