Walking Home

Walking back after early morning darshan at Sri Nannagaru Ashram, decided to take a shortcut through the fields to get back to my place. Passed by brick makers who have set up in an area that will eventually be developed into housing plots. Brick makers are never popular because of the smoke and smell of the burning brick kilns. In the below photograph a big brick kiln (under white wraps) is waiting for the time that it will be fired up.

The below photograph is of the remains of a brick kiln which has already been fired up. The fired bricks are being gradually transported by lorry to nearby building sites.

Labourers at brick kilns work very hard because they get paid by the brick. Generally a family, or group work together to produce the bricks. First the red clay is made into the right consistency.

And then with the use of moulds, is pressed into brick shapes and laid out to dry.

The moulds have identifying initials of the brick merchant, so each brick can be identified as to where it was made.

I leave the brick making venture and turn back onto Perumbakkam Road, where I notice an earth mover and truck parked by the side of the road. As there is so much construction activity at Tiruvannamalai, there is a lot of sand quarrying going on, generally by stealth late at night.




After I pass the lorries, I see the quarry located on a hill spur of Arunachala. I recently heard that the quarry has been given notice by the State Pollution Control Board that they have to close within a year. In this respect will post fuller information in this upcoming Arunachala Grace Newsletter which will be sent direct to email inboxes at the end of the month. (For your free subscription please go to the facility at the left hand margin of this page).

The cute kids below belong to a family that work at the quarry. Their hut is located opposite the quarry and when not at school, the kids are always hanging around eager to have a quick chat with folk passing by.

Nearby a neighbour is making a new cow house with lots of sturdy bamboo for their two cows.

And then after all the noise and confusion of the trucks, brick kilns and quarry, nearby a farmer has planted marigolds in his field.