Lakshmi Hotel

You can find us at H. No -3-3, right on the Hnm Line Thanda in Gudur. It’s not a big hotel like the ones you see in cities, just a small place where people come to eat. I wake up early to light the stove and get the big pots of water boiling for tea and coffee. The smell of woodsmoke and frying batter usually fills the air by six in the morning. We have a few wooden tables and benches that have been rubbed smooth by years of use. Most of the people who eat here are locals or workers passing through the Thanda on their way to the fields. I serve things like idli and dosa in the morning, and maybe some rice later on if I have the time to cook it. My wife helps me in the kitchen, and my son sometimes clears the plates when he isn't in school. The walls are a bit dark from the soot, and the floor is just plain stone. We don't have a menu written down anywhere; people just ask what’s ready. It’s a busy life, and my back often aches at the end of the day from standing so long. But seeing people enjoy a hot meal makes it feel worth the effort. We keep things simple and try to make enough to keep the place running for another day. It is just a modest kitchen serving the people here.