Prakash Engineering Works

You can find Prakash Engineering Works right behind Sunrise Chambers, which is close to the Saurastra Patel Samaj Wadi. Being near Sardar Chowk on Varachha Road means we are right in the middle of all the noise and people. It’s a tight spot to get into, especially if you’re trying to bring in anything larger than a small truck. Inside the shop, things are a bit cluttered with parts and tools we’ve collected over the decades. We mostly do repair work and make custom parts when someone brings in a broken piece of machinery. The lathes we use are older than I am, but they still run straight if you know how to handle them. My father set this place up a long time ago and not much has changed since then, except maybe the grease on the floor has gotten thicker. We usually keep the front shutters half-down in the afternoon to keep the heat out. The tea guy comes by twice a day and that is usually when we take a break and sit on the stools outside. It’s not the cleanest work, as your hands are always black with oil by lunchtime, but it’s what we know how to do. There is always a radio playing somewhere in the background, mostly just the news or some old songs. We just take the work as it comes and hope the machines don't break down when we have a lot to do.