Shrihari Brick Field

Our field is located in Kalajetia, which is part of the Nandakumar area in Purba Midnapur. It is a large, dusty area where we spend most of our waking hours. Shrihari Brick Field has been a part of this landscape for quite some time. The soil here in Purba Midnapur is quite thick and good for making bricks. We have rows and rows of raw clay blocks drying out in the open air. It is a constant battle with the moisture. If the air is too damp, they won't set right. We have a small crew that lives nearby in the Dayaldasi area. They walk over every morning to start the fires or move the stock. The office is just a wooden desk under a tin roof. It gets very noisy when the rain hits it. We don't have any fancy signs or big posters. People just know where we are. The trucks come in through the narrow village roads and we help them load up. It’s a lot of physical work, and our hands are usually stained brown from the earth. We don't use any complicated systems to run the place. We just count the loads and write them down. The evening time is the best when the heat finally drops. We sit around for a bit before heading home. It is a very basic life, centered around the earth and the kilns.