Laxmi Rice Mill

Down in Chakale Village, we run the rice mill right near the post office. It’s right in the heart of Khed Taluka. If you come by during the harvest season, you’ll see heaps of paddy everywhere. The whole place smells like raw grain and dust. It’s a loud place when the machines are running, so we have to shout to hear each other. I’ve been working with rice for years. My father had a small setup and I just kept it going. We process the rice for the local farmers who bring their carts and tractors filled with the season's crop. It’s hard work and your clothes get covered in husk by the end of the day. But there’s something good about seeing the white rice come out the other side after all that processing. We try to keep the machines in good shape, but they are old and sometimes they break down right when we are busiest. Then we have to spend half the night fixing them. The village is quiet otherwise. People stop by the post office and then come over to say hello. We aren't trying to be the biggest mill around, just doing our part for the folks in the taluka. It’s a simple life, tied to the land and the seasons. It gets very hot in the afternoons but the breeze helps.