Opr Flour Mill

The machines at Opr Flour Mill start up early in the morning. Being right on Thuraiyur Main Road in Pulivalam means there is always traffic passing by. The noise of the grinders fills the space, and there is usually a thin layer of white dust on everything by noon. We spend a lot of our time just cleaning the equipment and making sure the belts are tight. People bring in their grain in bags, sometimes on bicycles or just carrying them. We’ve been at this spot, number 563, for quite a few years now. The sun hits the front of the mill pretty hard in the afternoon, so we stay in the shade toward the back where it’s cooler. It is hard work, mostly standing on your feet and lifting heavy sacks. Sometimes the power goes out, and we just have to sit and wait with the customers until it comes back. Pulivalam is a busy area, but we know our regulars well. They come from the nearby farms and houses. We don't have a big office or anything, just a small desk where we keep the books. The air always smells like toasted grain. It's a simple business, nothing special to look at from the outside. Just a local mill where we try to get the work done right so people can take their flour home and cook. We are just part of the everyday life here on the main road.