THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, October 4: Rains and rains are no welcome to potters. The potters are cross-fingered as to what fate has in store for them.
Pottery making that too by traditional means is a fair weather affair. Bright Sun is preferred to cloudy day. However, Jharkhand is having huge rains and rains every second or third day.
Potters ‘fire their clay’ and here rains are proving a big impediment. Firing clay is now an expensive affair.
Palamu administration aids with electric pottery wheels
Palamu administration has embarked on the facelifting of this most ancient profession of pottery.
Five potters were given one each electric pottery wheel by the Palamu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sameera S quite recently in Daltonganj.
The electric pottery wheel is 90 percent subsidised.
The electric pottery wheel is being seen as a paradigm shift from tradition to technology.
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A press note issued by the office of the District Public Relations read, “The administration has shortlisted 40 more potters who will be provided with the electric pottery wheel.”
Administrative sources said, “This is the first instance when electric pottery wheel has been so given away ahead of the coming Diwali festival.”
“Palamu administration is committed to improve and better the working facilities for the potters as a very large number of them still make hand potteries,” said administrative sources.
Mati Kala Board remains defunct, revival hopes fade
Jharkhand Mati Kala Board was founded during the regime of the then Chief Minister Raghubar Das under the BJP dispensation.
The Jharkhand Mati Kala Board couldn’t make much headway, and with the poll defeat of the then Chief Minister Raghubar Das, the Jharkhand Mati Kala Board too became almost a non-entity.
Hemant Soren government did nothing to revive or reconstitute the Jharkhand Mati Kala Board either in its first 5-year term 2019-24 , or its second ongoing term 2024-29.
Scarcity of clay and firing challenges add to woes
A former member of the Jharkhand Mati Kala Board Avinash Dev told this correspondent on September 27, “Potters face enormous challenges. The biggest one is of clay. Good quality clay is not easily available.”
“Landlords object to digging the land for clay. At least 15 feet deep land is dug up. Here, the land owners cite environmental issues or demand a hefty price for the clay. A poor potter is thus caught in a no-win situation,” reiterated Avinash Dev.
The second challenge is of setting up fireplace to bake the earthenwares.
Clay is baked at higher temperatures between 600 to 1500 degree Celsius.
Residents where such a fireplace is to be set up resist the move, reminded Dev.
“I also come from the Prajapati community which is a potter community. I understand the hardships quite well,” reaffirmed Dev.
Like electric pottery wheel, there is a need for electric furnace to bake clay, said the potters.
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Chinese toys and products eat into potters’ market
Another potter shying of getting named, said “Ab koi mitti ka khilona nahi leta. China wala khilona bikta hai (Now no one takes the earthen toys. Chinese toys have captured the market)”.
Hindus and Muslims both use earthenware during cremation and burial, respectively.
Potters have seasonal business. Lok Parv Chhath gives them happy returns on their investment.
As regarding Diwali, potters rue their luck for the Chinese intrusion into the market.
