Kumbh - From the womb of the earth.

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A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S There are many people and organizations to acknowledge and thank, not only for their contribution in the preparation of this compilation but to the experimental process that traversed many places and involved so many people.

Firstly, initiating sincere thanks to National Institute of Fashion Technology for allowing us this unique opportunity to undertake the craft study on ‘painted terracotta’ of Kutch, Gujarat.

Our humble thanks to Professor. Sudha Dhingra for providing valuable insight into the crafts sector of India. We express our gratitude to the faculty members of Fashion Communication Department for equipping us with the skill set to document the cited craft study. Special thanks to Ms. Anupreet Bhalla Dugal, Ms. Pika Gupta, Ms. Lavina Bhaskar and Mr. Vishesh Azad for taking out their valuable time and helping us put this compilation together.

Last but not the least, heartfelt thanks to the craftpersons of the identified cluster.

They all are distinguished by a genuine commitment towards the development of craft and provided us a comfortable and amicable environment to work in. We thank them f letting us be a part of their lives and share the knowledge to quench our curiosity.

We wish to take this opportunity of expressing our deep sense of gratitude to the artisans, Mohammad Bhai & Ramju Bhai and their associations who allowed us to see the workings in their respective workshops.

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“Truest to nature in directness and simplicity of its forms, and their adaptation to use and purest in art, of all its homely and sumptuous handicrafts is the pottery of India.�

-Birdwood The pottery of India has been a subject of interest for many book writers, scholars here and in the West. But they are generally specialised works that talk about pottery as a whole.

The purpose of this compilation is to present in a single comprehensive volume the entire description of Kutch Painted Terracotta in a short and simple outline. The first chapter deals with the salient features of the origin of the craft while the rest of the book discusses the varied expressions in separate chapters in order to bring out an integrated picture of each one of them.

For the sins of omission we urge our readers to bear in mind the enormous sweep taken by this compilation in a limited time frame.

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THE CRAFT MATIKAMA Description of the Craft

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FROM EARTH TO POT The Process of Molding

NOT SO COURSE, NOT SO P L A I N Materials Used

THE WORLD SHE SAW

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wwMotifs

THE DISTANT MIRAGE Future of the Craft

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History of Terracotta

THE INDIAN CIRCUIT Locations of Pottery in India

EARTH BENDERS Description of Kutch Potters

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LIST OF IMAGES 8

THE DISTANT MIRROR

FORMING THE F O R M LES S

Process of Potter y

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C O N T E N T S

COLORING THE RAW Painting Terracotta

MARVELS FROM KUTCH

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Stories from Kutch

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Clay is abundant, cheap, and adaptable, which makes it convenient for human use. Due to the easy access and functionality of clay, pottery was independently invented in many parts of the world at different times.

The earliest recorded evidence of clay usage dates back to the late Palaeolithic period in central and western Europe, where fired and unfired clay figurines were created as a form of artistic expression. As early as 30,000 years ago, we can also see evidence of some experimentation with clay: at a site known as Dolni Vestonice (Czech Republic}, figurines made of clay mixed with crushed mammoth bone were found.

Although in India, about 4500 years ago when the Egyptians were building their pyramids, was the time when an entire civilization got established on the banks of Indus to confront the entire human race with its fascinating treasures. Dating then to now, when the whole world considered the land a difficult place to survive, was a clan of potters from different parts of India who found this Indus Valley civilization, a place which served as an inspiration to modern day pottery.

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There were times when small items of bronze sculpture and terracotta sculpture were produced. An early masterpiece is The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-Daro (C2500-2000 BCE, National Museum, New Delhi), arguably the finest surviving statuette of the Indus Valley culture.

At the beginning of 6th millennium BC were built the Hindu River bank houses of adobe mud bricks. The pottery in this period was obtained from materials that were naturally found in this area and was primarily aimed at practical applications to contain liquids such as water and oils as well as for the production of utensils for cooking and eating.

Several containers to hold grain and small seed in unglazed ceramic clay with little or no decoration have been found as well.

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Other vessels from the collection obtained had animal, plant and geometric decorations that were apparently intended in some cases for rituals.

There are also ceramics whose form seems to intend more everyday use such as personal objects like ceramic toys.

Tracing back to the Neolithic age, the handmade pottery contained bowls, jars, vessels - in various colors such as red, orange, brown, black and cream.

Terracotta is probably the most famous form of pottery in Indian villages. The villages of West Bengal, Bihar and Gujarat are best known for terracotta works.

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Terracotta is the term used for ceramic sculptures. Indian sculptures made heavy use of terracotta from a very early period (with stone and metal sculpture being rather rare), more sophisticated areas had largely abandoned modelling over using moulds by the 1st century BC. This allowed relatively large figures, nearly up to life-size, to be made, especially in the Gupta period and the centuries immediately following it. Several local popular traditions of terracotta folk sculpture remain active today, such as the Bankura horses.

Often women prepare clay figures to propitiate their gods and goddesses, during festivals. In Moela, deities are created with moulded clay on a flat surface. They are then fired and painted in bright colors. Other parts of India use this style to make figures like horses with riders, and other votives.

The art of handling clay is called Pottery and it is one of the earliest skills known to the Indians. They are experts in moulding clay with their hands to form various things of daily utility like toys and deities of worship since the ancient period.

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With an ancient history of about 4500 years, pottery has marked its trail throughout the subcontinent in many locations.

It is best portrayed through the states of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

There are mainly two types of pottery found in the Indian subcontinent: -unglazed pottery -glazed pottery

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long with the two types of pottery, India also enriches itself in four different styles of unglazed pottery which include the paper thin pottery practised in the villages of Kutch, Kanpur and Alwar, The Scrafito technique is being practised in Kangra, Pokhran and Nizamabad districts. Black pottery which is another famous form is practised in Indian villages and inherits its inspiration from the Harappan civilization.

Terracotta is the most famous form of pottery practised in Indian villages which primarily includes Bihar, West Bengal and Gujarat. However, the villages of Bihar and West Bengal are the main producers of toys such as elephants, horses, reptiles and other home decorative products along with some jewellery.

Open to seas in the West and Central Asian settlers from the north, Gujarat has welcomed innovation and enterprise from all directions. Rich folk cultures merge with courtly traditions, giving skills and opportunities a new perspective.

Terracotta and mud mirror work which have both sacred as well as aesthetic appeal, hold similar resemblance to terracotta pottery of the Sindh region.

The wet clay is moulded in different shapes and sizes and dried in the day time. This unglazed pottery is then hand painted by the women and baked in the oven . Traditional clay utensils like pots, tawadi, plates, bowls etc.,with hand paintings are made.

Kutch is one of the largest terracotta producers of India, which are used traditionally as decorative and functional household items.

Kachchi Pottery is a fine mix of traditional, contemporary and commercial in which both men and women are equal contributors in the production of some of the best matkas anywhere in the world. Enriched by a confluence of courtly and rural traditions, Kachchi pottery is reminiscent to the excavations from Lothal (Mohenjodaro).

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The barren brown land which once served as a symbol of infertility found its adaptability from those hands which gave the land a new definition. The richness of craft - Matikama, or better known as Painted Terracotta gains its admiration from the beautiful sands of Kutch.

Terracotta pottery is one of the first known craftsmanship ever documented and is deeply ingrained in its culture and traditions.

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When nomads settled down in cities at the beginning of civilization, it was a turning point for the way humans would live. A settled life meant agriculture, which meant excess grain, and that gave rise to trading and exchange and eventually seals and currency.

Staying in one place in cities, it also implied construction and storage. This is where the use of mud came into existence, with the production of bricks and storage vessels. Kutch Pottery primarily focuses on the production of storage vessels like pots, dishes, bowls or bottles which can be washed and used for either cooking or eating.

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n archaeology and art history, “terracotta” is often used to describe objects such as figurines not made on a potter’s wheel. Vessels and other objects that are or might be made on a wheel from the same material are called earthenware pottery; the choice of term depends on the type of object rather than the material or firing technique.

Unglazed pieces, and those made for building sites and industrial purposes, are also more likely to be referred to as terracotta, whereas tableware and other vessels are called earthenware (though sometimes terracotta if unglazed), or by a more precise term such as faience.

The craft deals with maximum production of pots or matkas, for water storage. The earthen pot is a living testimony of the constancy of good design. However evolved a civilization may become; a design that is good and optimum does not need any refinement. This simple product pleases all the senses with its beautiful rounded form, the smell of rain and the taste of cool water quenching a dry throat in the hot summer, it is one of the most beautiful inventions our ancestors have left us as a legacy. Soft clay is shaped into a pot on a potter’s wheel followed by a process of drying and baking.

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Once baked on the furnace, the pots get ornamented with beautiful patterns created with lines, flowers, leaves, fish and peacocks. Following a subtle color scheme of red, black and white, these marvellous pieces signify prosperity and richness of Indian culture.

As compared to the other techniques of sculpting, terracotta uses a far simpler and quicker process for creating the finished work with much lower material costs, where the artist mainly uses his fingers to take a more free and flexible approach.

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The Clay says: I’ve been slammed onto a hard, spinning wheel.

I’m flying around out of control.

Under pressure, I am being squashed and squeezed and I know a fire lies ahead.

The Potter says: Carefully I throw you onto just the right spot.

Your imperfections are being smoothed as you spin by the loving pressure of my hands.

I am holding you and moulding you.

Proud and Pleased with my creation.

And the fire that lies ahead will only enhance your beauty.

-(Anonymous)

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Existence spins on his potters wheel, All is been shaped into the divine -John Denver

They say that existence spins on potter’s wheel and all is been shaped into divine. With utmost dedication and love, a potter moulds the raw formless form of nature into beautiful pieces utilizing all of his artistic imagination.

The potters of Kutch are commonly known as Kumbhars in the local language. One can say that the potters of Kutch play a necessary role in the lives of all subdivisions of the culture and they still do.

The introduction of Kutch Pottery could be best described by two of the most prominent potters in the area..

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MOHAMMAD BHAI

RAMJU BHAI

Mohammad Bhai, a native of Kutch is born and brought up in a village closeby Bhuj, named as Lodai.

A man in his mid 60s, Mohammad Bhai has been continuing the craft for more than 40 years now and has inherited the skills from his father, Hussain Bhai. The craft evolved with the creation of huge Matkas, but with the advancement in time and lack of demand, the size has relatively reduced. Skills taught before the age of 10, the craftsmen of Kutch are born with magic in their hands. Unfortunately, according to Mohammad Bhai the craft has lost its place as a passion rather it’s more of a necessity for the survival of these craftsmen. A difference in design, size and purpose is leading to the demise of this craft.

With the construction of his first diya, Ramju Bhai is a man of commendable craftsmanship who has been a native of Kutch since the earthquake in 2003. Started learning from a very young age, the artisan has designed a platform for his family and himself where he shares the craft with different schools and colleges throughout the country including NIFT. His undying spirit is enough for keeping the craft alive amongst his generations who are willing to continue the craft unlike other potter families in the area.

Creators of around seventy designs, Ramju Bhai’s family believes in creating anything from mud.

His belief is to get the craft more recognition in and around country with the help of designers who can provide them with the demands of all sectors of society and new creative solutions.

With a family comprising of around 50 artisans, the perspective is to make the craft more

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Kumbhar women are the co-creators of pottery in Kutch. They are very skilled in the painting of terracotta before it is fired and attains a distinct identity. Women also mix the clay and are adept in the making of large storage pots by hand. Clearly they are indispensible to the pottery practice of Kutch and none of the pottery clusters would be able to function without the science and art of their unique relationship with the clay.

Below is one vignette of Kumbhar women behind the beautifully painted terracotta of Kutch: Hudh Bai: An expert in painting terracotta, Hudh Bai is the wife of Mohammad Bhai who has been continuing the craft since the age of 15. She has inherited the painting techniques from her grandmother and her mother. Being one of the five women in the entire Kutch, who are continuing this technique, her design sensibilities take inspiration from her native environment and people therein.

With her extreme love for the craft, Hudh Bai loves to paint the terracotta and aspires to continue the craft. But, unfortunately due to the lack of contribution from her children, she finds herself the sole continuer of craft hence her vision for the future of this craft is a little blurred.

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K

utch Pottery finds itself most adaptable to the area because of the abundance of raw materials available which can be easily extracted from the surroundings.

With a proportionate amalgamation of following materials the beautiful craft comes into occurrence.

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Pottery, a process of the history and evolution of humankind’s relationship with earth’s most primal element - CLAY. Types of clay used in pottery worldwide are further sub divided into earthenware, stoneware and kaolin. However, Kutch pottery depends on the clay locally known as chikni mitti, translated as ‘Marl’ in English. Marl is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud which contains variable amounts of clay and silt. The potters are so particular about the clay that they get it from a specific 5 acre area, approximately 45 kilometres. The clay once mixed with water finds its essence and is ready to go through the next step. Clay being the most primal element exists in its abundance in the area of Kutch which is an important reason the rise of pottery clusters in the entire Gujarat.

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nce the pots are out of the furnace, the Kumbhar women decorate them with beautiful patterns and motifs by the use of beautiful colors. The paintings are generally made from black, red and white earth coloring matters found nearby.

Geru (red color) -

Geru or gairika is a natural haematite mineral found with iron-titanium oxide in igneous and metamorphic rocks as accessory mineral. A massive clayey, reddish brown with earthy lustre clay, Geru is used to give a wash of base color to the freshly baked pots. Adding an organic feel to the creations, geru connects the craft with Indian nativity and ethnicity.

Goru (white color) and Karu (black color) The terracotta pots of Kutch are distinct from the ones we may see elsewhere because of the intricate patterns drawn on the pots with the use of white and black colors. White or goru being extracted from the naturally available white clay which when mixed with water forms a semi-solid liquid. On the other hand black or karu, is extracted by pestling a black stone alongwith little amount of water forming another semi-solid liquid.

Both the colors form a distinctness in the entire feel of the craft and create a spectacular visual appearance of the product.

Apart from clay, colors and water leaves of plant locally known as jaru, thorns and tender stems of prosopis julifera are required to cover the kiln during the firing of vessels . All these are available to the potters very easily and free of cost.

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Make the clay with your heart, Mind the clay when you throw, As shah Latif said, “A perfect vessel shall reveal itself�

- A Sindhi proverb from Ghadai

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From digging the earth to moulding the pot, the process of pottery gains its glory first by the hands of potter and then by the use of tools. According to demographics, the process of pottery is different in different places. Likewise, Kutch potters create the artwork by using minimum number of tools which are both economical and easily available.

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Potter’s wheel: A potter’s wheel is an equipment used in the shaping of formless mud or clay. The wheel may also be used during the process of trimming the excess body from dried ware and for applying incised decoration or rings of colour.

Truest to nature in directness and simplicity of its forms, and their adaptation to use and purest in art, of all its homely and sumptuous handicrafts is the pottery of India.

-Birdwood

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SHRINKAGE RULER: These rulers are used to determine the shrinkage of wet pottery versus baked pottery.

FETTLING KNIVES: These thin-bladed knives come in either a hard temper or soft. They were first developed to remove the fettle (the ridge of material left where pieces of the mould join when a piece has been cast).

They are also very useful for trimming slabs and thrown pots or cutting across areas of hand-built pots.

NEEDLES: Potter’s needles are one of the most basic and versatile tools. One of the primary uses of the potter’s needle is to get an accurate measure of how thick a slab or the floor of a pot is. Other uses are to ‘score or slip’ the clay or as a cutting tool and even incising intricate patterns and designs on the pot’s surface.

SCRAPERS AND RIBS: Used in throwing, these tools can help shape and smooth pots as they are being formed on the wheel. They are also used in the Rib and Hand method of working with coiled pots.

Scrappers look a lot like ribs, but are lighter and used to smooth wet and soft leather-hard green ware. They come in a myriad of shapes and can be made of steel, rubber, or wood.

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RIBBON OR LOOP END TOOLS: Ribbon or loop tools are called as such because they are made out of flattened metal ribbons with sharpened edges. They are used mainly to trim the bases of thrown pots, but also to hollow out handmade shapes, especially sculptural forms.

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I am Khnum, your creator, My arms are around you, to steady your body, to safeguard your limbs.

I bestow on you ores with precious stones since antiquity (existing) that were not worked before to build temples, rebuild ruins, sculpt chapels for his master.

I am master of creation. I have created myself, the great ocean which came into being in past times, according to whose pleasure the Nile rises.

For I am the master who makes, I am he who makes himself exalted in Nun, who first came forth, Hapi who hurries at will; fashioner of everybody, guide of each man to their hour.

I am Tenen, father of Gods, the great Shou living on the shore. =From the Famine Stela

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The need to store things led to the development of containers, first among them bags of fibre or leather, woven baskets and pottery. But clay lends itself to many other purposes: bricks, tableware, statuettes, funerary offerings, jewellery, toys and games etc. Pottery, the moulding of form out of a formless mass and its becoming imperishable through firing, is the most miraculous kind of creation. Thus Khnum, the great potter, created man.

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THE PROCESS OF C R E ATI O N

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An earthen pot is a very simple design, but making it requires a set of skills and material, just as any other craft. The potters are so particular about the raw material, that they get mud from a specific 5 acre area, some 45 kms from the village.

To make the mud finer, they grind and sieve it. Then they put the mud in water for 2-3 days and it becomes soft enough to be given any desired shape.

The pot making process that is used in Kutch after the final beating, the potter uses an interesting technique to give the form a fuller shape. The pot is supported in a ‘sherd’ and then a lid is placed into the mouth to enclose the air. Taking the pot in both hands, the potter raises it a few inches into the air and then stamps it down into the ‘sherd’, the trapped air giving the shape a more generous form.

This soft clay is shaped into a pot on a potter’s wheel and left to dry in shade. After a while, it is cleaned and put in the sun to dry and then baked in a furnace, powered by simple and locally available fuels of dry wood and cow dung.

Once out of the furnace, the pots resemble ancient Painted Grey-ware pottery and the patterns that are painted on them also follow a similar aesthetic language. This human need for adornment and decoration is timeless.

The terracotta pots of Kutch are distinct from the ones we may see elsewhere, because of their smooth finish which is a result of repeated cleaning at every stage of the process of their making.

However with an era of mechanical advancement, the potters according to their economical status have started working more with machines for an increased production and high values.

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The master potters of the world are the Indians who have worked in clay to produce a remarkable beautiful style of pottery. It is also of the highest antiquity, since perhaps no form of Indian handicraft has such a long tradition of artistic attainment as the pottery.

Way back to the Indus Valley civilization incised polychrome and glazed pottery of pleasing and varied shapes, with rich decorative designs in black or red, filled, enriched and illuminated every nook and corner of the Indian home. Once the pots are moulded and dried, the ornamentation is subordinated to shape, and decoration is used only to add to the beauty and dignity of form.

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Despite the ubiquitous nature of pottery, only a few regions within India boast the kinds of intricate painting techniques found in Kutch. In Rajasthan, bold blocks of white and red highlight the complicated black designs painted on top.

Potters in Himachal Pradesh paint white lines directly onto red surfaces, which become discolored as part of the smoke fire process that defines the region’s work.

Painted pottery, both glazed and unglazed, is known throughout the whole of India, but that of Kutch exhibits superior craftsmanship, fascinating in its exuberant pictorial and decorative schemes with hundreds of scintillating motifs.

In Kutch, women potters paint delicate black and white designs over their red-coated terracotta or red and black designs on white coated pieces. Many of the motifs are similar to those discovered at Indus Valley civilization sites in the region such as Dolevida and Lothal, suggesting a remarkable continuity in design passed down from generation to generation.

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There are two varieties of painted pottery: one is painted or stained before firing and the other painted, lacquered or stained after firing. Kutch pottery involves maximum contribution of women when it comes to the process of painting. Kumbhar women are the co-creator of pottery in Kutch.

They are very skilled on the painting of terracotta before it is fired and lend it a distinct identity. Coated by a base of red color or geru, the pots further get decorated with rich symmetrical lines and motifs of black (karu) and white (goru). Today in every village of Kutch, the hereditary potter may be seen sitting by his wheel; moulding the swift revolving clay by the natural curves of his hands; while on the other hand every woman is seen with small yet sharp and flattened bamboo sticks, painting various products of terracotta moulded by their husbands, fathers or sons and nurturing them with utmost dedication and hard work.

In all these classical performances of the potters there is that perfect correlation of line and colour which could only have been inspired by the most sensitive interpretation of nature. But not indifferent to the changing tastes and requirements of people the Indian potter has added many varieties to the traditional shapes and designs and adopted new patterns of decoration.

But here again as in other handicrafts, the truly creative personality of the artist assimilates the external influences to develop a new and more refined art.

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Modern Kachchi pottery traces its roots back thousands of years to the time of the Indus Valley civilization. Today, the potters of Kutch continue to practice their craft in much the same way as their geographic ancestors. Collecting clay from pockets in the region, building up pots by hand or on the wheel, and painting their products with motifs passed down through the generations, many modern terracotta pieces reveal the influence of the ancient pottery of the region.

The designs or motifs which frequently occur on the pots of Kutch are highly inspired by those found in the excavations of Harappan villages like Lothal. The most common ones and considered as a trademark of Kutch are called the “aadhi’’, which include intersecting lines, interlaces, intersecting circles and other geometrical motifs, perhaps inspired by the arts of plaiting and weaving. The most important geometrical motifs comprise variations on cruciform, circular and rectangular shapes( often disposed in the manner of a Chinese box), the ancient Indian swastika, whirlwind and sun symbols, an octagonal shield (a scaled down detail of an older repeat pattern), opposed triangles, two-headed axes, spirals, loops, labyrinths, scale and chequerboard patterns and trident.

Wavy lines possibly had their origin in the effort to produce ripples of meandering course of the- rivers and zigzag in the undulating cliffs.

For the painter, this motif is useful and easy for covering large spaces.

It was used as a filler and divider.

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Apart from lines, potters generally include three kinds of triangles in their designs; primarily equilateral, isosceles and one with wavy lines.

Besides the lines, triangles or chequer motifs - Kutch pottery includes independent squares which are either hatched or filled. Moreover square is used to accommodate other motifs in systematic manner, as for example, four petal flower, sun motif and opposite hatched triangle motif.

The diamond motif or locally known as the “badam� motif appears very often in Kutch pottery.

Any rhombus figure, drawn vertically or horizontally is a diamond or lozenge. For its origin one has to go as far as Iran. But during Pre-Harappan times, at Apri and Kalibangan an artist might have been inspired for this motif from a leaf, or conical shape.

Apart from the geometric motifs, the pottery includes a great use of naturalistic motifs. Naturalistic motifs are those which are the graphic forms of the living world. Even the smallest flower, a blade of grass, a majestic tree and its boughs, freely moving animals in natural environments and beautiful birds which all men saw everyday, captures the imagination of a Kutch potter artist.

Regularity of forms, outstanding symmetry between various component motifs, supplemented by the best rhythmic effect is clearly established by Kutch potters. The paintings demonstrate a remarkable blend of geometrical as well as natural motifs, rendering natural harmony to the subject. None of the motifs represent an isolated occurrence, but the entire repertoire of painted designs is found to continue, but of course with variations and modifications, in the cultures that succeeded the Harappan culture throughout India.

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Khamir Khamir stands for Kutch Heritage Arts Music Information and Resources. It is a joint initiative of Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan and Nehru Foundation for Development, supported by the Government of Gujarat and C I I. It has been setup as an education, training, demonstration and interpretation facility in the areas of arts and crafts, environment and heritage conservation.

Khamir in Kachchi means intrinsic pride, a trade associated with the people of Kutch, who live with great resilience in spite of the adversities of harsh, arid environment struck repeatedly by natural disasters.

Khamir was setup after earthquake to specifically look after craft livelihoods in the craft rich district of Kutch, where traditional skills are practiced by over 30% of the communities living in rural areas. Its main objective is to revitalize and reposition the craft so that to result in creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for its artisans.

Khamir is engaged in capacity building of small craft units, to create technology, training and workshops, trade facilitation, curated exhibition etc. It has promoted Khamir Craft Society (KCS), a craft body to look after production and marketing activities with small craft units. It works for ensuring better and direct economic return to artisans.

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Potential of NIFT For many years, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has been taking the initiative of organizing the ‘Craft Cluster’ that is undertaken by each batch of the undergraduate and postgraduate level. Through this approach, students are exposed to the various crafts of India, wherein they imbibe elements and intricacies with due meaning.

This enterprise urges and encourages students to apply design approach in a manner that uplifts the potential of these crafts. Through the intervention, craftsmen can be provided aid and solutions so as to lead a better professional life.

For packaging and branding solutions refer to the manual alongwith this compilation.

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The potters of Kutch, along with the sale in local markets, attract customers nationally and internationally. However it gets difficult for an artisan to promote his products when the manufacturing is done on a small scale. Its difficult for an artisan to be both the creator and retailer at the same time; hence some organizations come into the forefront and help these local artisans to sell and promote their creations worldwide.

This is when some non-government organizations (NGOs) like Khamir, or educational institutions like National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) take an initiative to help retain and spread the essence of craft throughout. The potters get a chance to exhibit their works in metropolitan cities. Also it allows them to hold small workshops in renowned art colleges, for example - Ramju Bhai, a local artisan based in Bhuj collaborated with NIFT in 2003 and held a small workshop entitled ‘Khidoi’ to help promote the craft.

Furthermore, Ramju Bhai currently works with designer, Neeraj Dave for gaining knowledge about new design sensibilities in the country and a better approach towards the current mind-set of customers.

The prime concern today is the high dropout rate of potters from their craft. In villages where there used to be 30 potters, today there are just a handful of 3 or 4. The major factor that leads to this is the absence of appreciation of their role in society today. Modern life today can do without the potter or his products.

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he availability of the thorns and tender stems of ‘Prosophis Julifera’ has also become difficult. These are required to cover the kiln during the firing of the pottery items. The charcoal makers destroy large portions of ‘Prosophis Julifera’ and they have cleared all the cover standing near the villages. As a result potters, have to travel a lot to collect the thorns and stems of this plant. Generally women of the family go for the collection of thorns & stems and carry them home on their heads. A woman spends considerable time on this as she has to cover long distances by walking.

The complete replacement of potter’s products with metal and plastic in day-to-day use, social stigma of working with clay and access to good quality clay for the potter, the complete apathy of modern living to provide space in the system for this large section of society is the concern of the day.

Moreover, the pottery of Kutch is facing a threat of nearing extinction. The newer generations believe in earning money as early and as easily as possible. The work requires a lot of labour and hence is not paid equally to the amount of hard work put in.

The head craftsmen of these potter families are worried that the craft might end soon.

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While on the other hand, there are some potters like Ramju Bhai who have the spirit to let the craft live and is working hard everyday to keep his dream alive.

Ramju Bhai believes that the craft could sustain itself if the potters and designers collaborate to understand human needs and requirements in a better way. The craft needs a re-orientation and it could be successfully practised with an equal balance between the labour from craftsmen and designs from a designer. Also the artisans need a platform to teach their craft amongst the newer generations.

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The pot is considered one of the greatest inventions of the mankind. To think about it, without this tool, humans would still be living near rivers and ponds- just to quench their thirst.

With the knowledge of making vessels, we had access to water into our homes; and could store it for future use.

It helped spreading the homo species in other parts of the world. The domestication of the earth, the moulding of clay into a pot- is the direct result of human intervention, an imposition on nature’s freedom, a sacrifice to ensure the birth of civilisation, to ensure survival of the mankind. The pot thus became a symbol of human civilisation.

Ancient Indians revered the pot. To them it was the symbol of the womb, the garbha - it sustained human life.

The pot was equated with the mother; it was metaphor of divinity. According to hindu mythology, the first kumbh (earthen pot ) was a gift from the Gods. A kalash or pot filled with water and sprouts, crowned with green leaves and fruits became the symbol of abundance and good fortune. It was worshipped over 3,000 years ago, by our ancients. Even today, it is being worshipped.

The season of autumn. When the rains recede, and the land is fertile for sowing of seeds.In the season, comes the glorious festival of Navratra, when Mother Goddess come to her earthly abode, for nine nights.

Three things come together on nine nights: the pot, the woman and the field. In the centre of the field, the pot is placed filled with water and sprouts, and around it women dance in circular formation. They bend down and clap as they thank the earth and cosmos and energise it with their happiness. This is garbo, the dance of the earth-womb. The circular formation of the dance is a reminder of the horizon, the rim of the divine pot, the world. We live in a cosmic womb, just as deities in temples are enshrined in the garba griha or sanctum sanctorum, a detail endorsed by the pots placed on top of the temple dome.

Such are the tales, traditions and rituals; that are celebrated in our society, and thus a relationship is born between the craft and the divine. And through it, it becomes an indispensable part of people’s everyday lives.

Following are some of the stories and myths that were gathered during our interaction with the artisans:Origin of the great tradition ..The devas and the asuras were churning the Ksheer Sagar; the cosmic ocean for amrit (nectar). With the continous churning, at last came the nectar, flowing from the womb of the sea. Alas, there was no vessel pure enough to collect the churned ambriosa. Therefore, Shiva gave a part of his skin as clay to Prajapati, the god of creativity, to make a pot. And Parvati gave her blood to decorate it.

That is when the first kumbh (earthen pot) was created and Prajapati became the first kumbhar (potter) -Bhagwat Purana

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AN ACT OF COMPASSION Ancient sages tell a story of a tiny fish who approached Manu, the first leader of mankind, on the riverbank. The fish begs him to save it from the big fish. Manu, in his compassion, scoops the tiny fish out of the river in the palm of his hand. Quickly he collects some clay from the river, and make a pot of it. He keeps the fish in the same pot. The tiny fish is immensely grateful.

The next day, the tiny fish has grown in size and the pot is too small to accommodate it. Manu transfers the fish to a big pot. A day later, the fish has grown once again. Manu has to move it to a giant pitcher. That too is not enough a day later. So the fish is moved from the pitcher to a pond, from the pond to a lake, from the lake to a river and finally the sea. Even the sea is not enough. So the rains start to fall and the ocean expands to make room for the fish. As the ocean expands, the water covers the earth and soon Manu realizes that the whole world will soon be submerged by the rising waters. The rain continues to fall, the sea continues to rise, making more and more room for the fish. Manu cries out in alarm and wonders what is happening. The fish smiles and transforms into Vishnu, and promises to save Manu from the flood. It asks Manu to take refuge in a boat for himself, his family, for various animals and plants and for the seven wise sages in whose custody rests the wisdom of the world. The giant fish then guides this boat through the rain and storm to the peak of Mount Meru, the only piece of land that survives the great flood of doom.

- Vishnu Purana

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Once Brahma divided sugarcane among his sons and each of them ate his share, but the Kumhara who was greatly absorbed in his work, forgot to eat. The piece which he had kept near his clay lump struck root and soon grew into a sugarcane plant. A few days later, when Brahma asked his sons for sugarcane, none of them could give it to him, excepting the Kumhara who offered a full plant.

Brahma was pleased by the devotion of the potter to his work and awarded him the title Prajapati.

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-Puranic Story

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Once Dharmaraj appeared to a blind potter in his dream and asked him to prepare his image. On expressing his inability to do so, due to his loss of vision,Dharamraj asked him to be ready for the work on the following morning.

As the sun rose in the sky, Dharamraj came mounted on horse back. The god said, “Look at my shadow. With these words,the blind man gained his lost eye-sight. Finding the shadow of his god, made the image forthwith. Pleased by his craftmanship, Dharamraj gave a boon to him that he and his descendants would never die of hunger so long as they prepared his image and would hold a monolpoly in image making. Others who try to emuate them in this art would turn blind and perish.

-a Maru folktale

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FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS Long long ago, there was a king named Hiranyakashyap. The king was an atheist but his son Prahlad was a believer in god. The king pursuaded his son to give up his belief in god, for according to him, there could be no other god than Hiranyakashap itself. But Prahlad would not listen to him, and so the king thus, ill-treated his son in various ways.

Once, it so happened that a cat had given birth to four kittens in a potter’s house. While those kittens were lying inside an earthen jar piled up for firing, the potter ignited the kiln. Such an image appeared in the dream of Hiranyakashap. The following morning when he sent a messenger to the potter’s house to confirm his dream, the fact came out supringly, because the mother cat was seen haunting and lamenting near the kiln. Nobody could help it; the fire had already been set in the pile with the kittens inside. In those days the kiln used to take six months to cool. The death of the kittens was certain. So Hiranyakashyap said to Prahlad, ‘You ask your god to save the kittens and if they die, you will also be killed.’ Prahlad himself being very much aggrieved at the incident, went on praying for the life of the kittens. After six months when the pile was dismantled the kittens came out unhurt looking healthy. It was a great pleasure to Prahlad, a surprise to people,and indeed a shock to Hiranyakashyap.

-Vishnu Purana

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B I B L I O G R A P H Y - Shanti Swarup, 5000 years of arts and crafts in India and Pakistan -The Lost Boon, -Look At My Shadow, -Faith Can Move Mountains, - Heinz Mode and Subodh Chandra, Indian Folk Art - Shodhganga- a reservoir of Indian Thesis - Paresh Mangaliya, program manager, design; Khamir - Gaatha- a tale of crafts - Pottery in Antiquity- Ancient craft Encyclopedia - Anita Bora, Ghadai, an exhibition of crafts by Khamir - Kalaraksha Museum, Bhuj - Jigna Ben, Sanskruti Kala Darshan (Bhuj) -Pottery- Making Cultrues and Indian Civilisation, Baidyanath Saraswati -The Godess in India- The Five faces of eternal feminine, Devdutt Ppattanaik -The Divine Pot, Devdutt Pattanaik (www.bharatbharti.wordpress.ccom) - www.reshafm.org.il - www.indianetzone.com - www.tripadvisor.in - www.craftscouncilofindia.org - www.visual-arts-cork.com - www.claytimes.com - www.dollsofindia.com -Garba, Devdutt Pattanaik (Times of India)

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LIST OF IMAGES 1.1 A local man with camels.

1.2 Illustration of Mohammad Hassan’s house.

1.3 Horse at Mandvi beach.

1.4 Camel herders with their camels.

1.5 Bankura horses 2.1 Vijay Villas Palace, Mandvi 3.1 Hassan Bhai’s work environment.

3.2 Ramzaan Bhai’s daughter-in-law mixing clay.

3.3 A collection of pots made by Ramzaan Bhai and his family.

3.4 Painted terracotta vessels, Shamir.

9.1 Plate made by Hassan Bhai’s brother.

9.2 Plate made by Hassan Bhai.

9.3 Plate made by Hassan Bhai.

10.1 Sunset at Mandvi Beach 10.2 Hassan Bhai’s Grandson 10.3 Hassan Bhai’s Grandson 10.4 Hassan Bhai’s Granddaughters 11.1 Cattle Herder 11.2 Hudh Bhai 11.3 Ramju Bhai’s Sister in Law 11.4 Camel at Mandvi Beach

4.1 Ramzaan Bhai’s mother making pot heads.

4.2 Illustration of Hoodh Bai. 4.3 Illustration of Hassan Bhai.

4.4 Illustration of Ramzaan Bhai.

4.5 Illustration of Hoodh Bai. 5.1 Hassan Bhai making a plate.

5.2 Ramzaan Bhai’s son moulding the pot.

5.3 Hassan Bhai’s daughter-in-law painting on a bowl.

6.1 Tool used for painting on pots.

6.2 Hoodh Bai painting on a plate.

6.3 Tools for painting.

6.4 Tools used for painting.

7.1 Ramzaan Bhai’s wife making pots.

7.2 Ramzaan Bhai’s mother making pots.

7.3 Ramzaan Bhai’s son moulding pots.

7.4 Ramzaan Bhai’s brother and brother’s son moulding pots.

8.1 A portrait of Hassan Bhai’s grand daughter.

8.2 Hoodh Bai painting on a bottle.

8.3 Hoodh Bai making black colour.

8.4 Ramzaan Bhai’s daughter-in-laws.

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