Vishnu Rice Mill

We are out in Kichha, right on Rampur Road in Udham Singh Nagar. If you know where the Axis Bank is, we are directly opposite to it. It is an easy spot to point out for people trying to find the mill. The daily routine starts early when the gates are pushed back. We have a lot of space in the front where the tractors can pull in and unload the grain. The smell of raw, unprocessed rice is the first thing you notice when you walk into the yard. It is a dry, earthy scent that stays with you. We have a few old dogs that hang around the mill, mostly sleeping in the shade under the parked trailers. The work is mostly about watching the machines and making sure nothing gets jammed up in the hullers. We have a small crew of guys from the local village who have been with us for years. We sit on plastic chairs under the awning to take our breaks. The traffic on Rampur Road is steady, with lots of buses and trucks going towards the border. Sometimes the power is a bit temperamental, so we have to switch over to the generator, which makes a lot of noise. We don't really have a fancy office, just a desk near the scale where we weigh the bags. It’s honest work, and the days go by fast when the mill is running full tilt.