Ganesh Dairy

Ganesh Dairy is over in Bibvewadi, specifically near Ellora Park in Vadodara 5. We’ve been here for quite some time now. Every morning starts at four when the milk trucks arrive. It is usually cold and dark outside when we begin unloading the crates. The floor is always a bit wet because we are constantly washing the containers and the tiles. It smells like fresh milk and cream in here all day. We have a big stainless steel counter where we serve the people who live in the apartments nearby. Most of them come in with their own steel pots to carry the milk home. We also keep some yogurt and butter in the glass fridge. The fridge has a bit of a rattle when it cycles on, but it keeps everything cold. My father used to run this place and now I do. Not much has changed over the years. We still use the same heavy ladles to measure out the portions. The walls are white and we try to keep them clean, though it’s hard with all the steam. In the evenings, it gets quiet and we spend time cleaning up for the next day. It’s a steady job and we know almost everyone who walks through the door by their first name. We don't have a big sign, just the name painted on the wall outside. It is just how the neighborhood is and we are part of it.