Pottery: The lost Indian art
Pottery, an ancient craft is the measure of a country's civilisation. It is called the lyric of handicrafts. The antiquity of a place is decided by the pottery unearthed there. But in India and elsewhere, Pottery is dying a slow death.
CLAY, WHICH we tread upon day and night, what can it do- A lot! While your nimble fingers conjure up the magic, one cannot help but wonder the way the malleable clay responds to you. One may think looking at a pot, how easy it is to make it - just that it only looks easy. Pottery, an ancient craft is said to be the measure of a country’s civilisation. It is called the lyric of handicrafts. The antiquity of a place is generally decided by the pottery unearthed at the place. But in India and elsewhere, Pottery is dying a slow death.
Pottery can be traced back to Harappan civilisation is merely reduced to an occupation now, which is not too popular and does not yield a substantial income. While conversing with Jaya Prakash, an artist and Potter from Hyderabad, who takes classes in Pottery for children, he says that one has to be observant, patient and should be able to concentrate in order to make pots. He takes Pottery classes for children in schools and holds workshops during summer vacation. Sitting under a tree like in a gurukul, he carefully shows the young children how to place their fingers. The young ones, some of whom were as young as five years old, seemed very eager to make their own pots. While instructing them, he mentions, ‘these days pots are used only for decoration, not for utility’. The clay, which is soft and malleable, takes around five days to prepare.
The best clay in the country is found on the banks of Bhramaputra River in Assam and surprisingly the best pots are made in Rajasthan, though the clay found there is abysmal. Prakash says that this profession has been stagnating for over 15 years now. Our occupation is alive only because it has become a source of enjoyment for the rich people, to learn as well as for decoration. Most people have pots and the likes in their halls as decoration. He expresses, ‘the rich want it and we make it. I teach at many international schools in Hyderabad. For the children and their parents, Pottery is a hobby, in which they like to indulge’.
Coming for a Kumbha-kara family, his ancestors were also potters. In those days, pots were in great demand. He says that every house had at least three pots for different purposes. He mulls, ‘due to the immense hard work and no returns in this profession, many people have quit. My parents had no free time, as people were always in need of pots’. He considers himself as an artist first and then a potter. When asked about the difference, Jaya Prakash explains that he also started off by making ordinary pots for utility, but soon realized that it would not fetch him much.
The best clay in the country is found on the banks of Bhramaputra River in Assam and surprisingly the best pots are made in Rajasthan, though the clay found there is abysmal. Prakash says that this profession has been stagnating for over 15 years now. Our occupation is alive only because it has become a source of enjoyment for the rich people, to learn as well as for decoration. Most people have pots and the likes in their halls as decoration. He expresses, ‘the rich want it and we make it. I teach at many international schools in Hyderabad. For the children and their parents, Pottery is a hobby, in which they like to indulge’.
No one uses matkas these days, despite it being good for health. Refrigerators have taken over and are more convenient. In Pottery, it is not possible for a man alone to be involved, the whole family gets involved and the commitment level has to be great, from getting clay and preparing it, getting fire wood to investing in time and space. He complains that it is becoming increasingly difficult for potters to get clay. Giving his own example, he explains‘, we used to get clay from the Shamshabad area but since the airport has come up there, six villages have been engulfed by it. So we need to go much further to get clay’.
Coming for a Kumbha-kara family, his ancestors were also potters. In those days, pots were in great demand. He says that every house had at least three pots for different purposes. He mulls, ‘due to the immense hard work and no returns in this profession, many people have quit. My parents had no free time, as people were always in need of pots’. He considers himself as an artist first and then a potter. When asked about the difference, Jaya Prakash explains that he also started off by making ordinary pots for utility, but soon realized that it would not fetch him much.
He then shifted over into porcelain and modern art, which is used as decoration. He says, ‘I sell my art at various exhibitions and galleries and people who are interested in them buy it’. He admits that the sales are not high but is sufficient to keep him going. He also makes Terracotta jwellery, which is quite a rage amongst youngsters. When asked if pots and terracotta are exported, he reveals, ‘they are exported through galleries. So if one has his collection in a gallery, it can be exported, but an average potter does not exhibit in a gallery, so his chances of exporting is very less.’ He now makes pots in different shapes, sizes and colours that are used for decoration’.
When the Lalu Prasad Yadav had introduced Kulhars in Railways, it was beneficial for the occupation but again now there is a lull. The government does not do much to revive the Pottery industry, Prakash rues, ‘it gives subsidy of 30 per cent from time to time in Khadi Mahavidyala,but it has not been effective’.
Since most potters are leaving the occupation for greener pastures, he hopes, ‘agar jyada log kaam chod kar jaa rahe hain, toh hamari demand jyada ho jaayegi. (If increasing number of people leave the profession, our demand may increase). ’With all these difficulties, one wonders that is the ancient and rich art of Pottery now at the mercy of the upwardly mobile and well to do.
When the Lalu Prasad Yadav had introduced Kulhars in Railways, it was beneficial for the occupation but again now there is a lull. The government does not do much to revive the Pottery industry, Prakash rues, ‘it gives subsidy of 30 per cent from time to time in Khadi Mahavidyala,but it has not been effective’.
Since most potters are leaving the occupation for greener pastures, he hopes, ‘agar jyada log kaam chod kar jaa rahe hain, toh hamari demand jyada ho jaayegi. (If increasing number of people leave the profession, our demand may increase). ’With all these difficulties, one wonders that is the ancient and rich art of Pottery now at the mercy of the upwardly mobile and well to do.
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