Firing up the brick kiln

Sited on Larrie's Sunday morning bike ride this week were two men checking a fired brick kiln. One of the most interesting things about living in India is seeing how items originate.

The rest of the story:  We ride our bikes through what we call sand pit mines - think of a skate board park.  The "miners" take the sand, and the brick guys take the clay, which just leave a big messy moonscape behind.  The brick makers refine the clay and make the bricks.  But, to be a sturdy brick requires firing.  In some cases there are formal kilns with smoke stacks and everything, but every now and again I see a pile that looks like a kiln. They pile up bricks, and then put "pipes" of wood here and there, more bricks, more wood, and so on.  Now, by wood, I'm talkin' 8" trees the full length of the pile.  This pile was the first time I have seen one sealed up and cooking - you can see the burn marks in the picture.  I did not know they sealed the sides with clay to create a rare oxygen environment for slow cooking.