Thirupathi Soda Factory

Our soda factory is at 76 Salem Road, right near the TCR Hospital in Soolamalai. It’s a busy road with a lot of ambulances and people coming and going from the hospital. We’ve been making soda here for a good while. The shop is filled with the smell of carbonation and the sound of gas hissing into the bottles. It’s a small operation. We have the old-style machines that take some muscle to work. The floor is usually a bit wet from the washing process, so you have to be careful where you step. We keep the glass bottles in wooden crates stacked up high against the back wall. People from the hospital often come by for a cold drink to take a break from whatever they are dealing with inside. We don't have any air conditioning, just a couple of old ceiling fans that wobble a bit. It’s just me and a couple of helpers most days. We spend a lot of time cleaning the glass and making sure the seals are tight. It’s not a fancy business, just a local factory providing drinks to the neighborhood. Sometimes the kids from the nearby houses come by to watch the bottles get filled. We close up late once the traffic on Salem Road starts to thin out. It’s a long day, but we are used to the rhythm of it by now. The work is steady and it keeps us out of trouble.