Lalitha Masala

You can find us at Plot No. 36 on Ettayapuram Road, right in Muthammal Colony. We are quite close to the bus stand in Thoothukudi, so there is always a lot of movement nearby. The sound of the buses coming and going is the background noise to our whole day. We work with spices here, mainly focusing on the different masala blends that people use in their cooking. The heat in Thoothukudi can be quite intense, especially in the middle of the day, so we try to get the heavy lifting done early in the morning. Our shop isn't very large, and it’s often filled with the sharp smell of chillies and turmeric. We spend a lot of time weighing out portions and sealing up packets. It’s a simple process, but it requires a lot of attention so we don't mix things up. We don’t have a polished showroom or anything. It’s just a practical space where the work happens. People often drop in on their way to or from the bus stand because we are so close by. We’ve grown accustomed to the dust from the road and the constant humidity. It’s just part of being in this part of town. We don't use any fancy language to describe what we do. We just make the masala and sell it to whoever comes to the door, keeping things as uncomplicated as possible for ourselves and our customers.