Debika Rice Mill

We've been running this mill here in the Bagula village area for quite a long time. It’s a bit out of the way, near Andal, but we stay busy enough with the local farmers. The building isn't anything special to look at, just some bricks and the big machinery inside that makes a lot of noise. Every morning we start early to get the rice processed. The dust gets everywhere, on the floors and our clothes, but that’s just how it is with a rice mill. People bring their paddy in trailers and we weigh it out. Sometimes there's a line and folks have to wait their turn under the shade. We try to keep the machines in good shape, but they're old and need a lot of oiling and fixing. It's a loud place to work, you have to shout to be heard over the hum of the motors. We don't have a big corporate office or fancy staff. It's just a few of us making sure the husks are separated right and the grain comes out clean. West Burdwan is a good place for this kind of work because there’s plenty of paddy around. We just focus on the daily grind and getting the bags filled. It’s hard work and it keeps us going. We’ve lived here our whole lives, so we know most of the people who come through our gates for their milling needs.