SECONDARY RESEARCH -POTTERY(KUMHARS)

The Kumhars derive their name from

the Sanskrit word Kumbhakar meaning earthen-pot maker.
[2]
 Dravidian languages conform to the same meaning of
the term Kumbhakar. The term Bhande, used to designate
the Kumhar caste, also means pot. The potters
of Amritsar are called Kulal or Kalal, the term used in
Yajurveda to denote the potter class.[1]

Mythological origin

Depiction of a Kumhar.
A section of Hindu Kumhars honorifically call
themselves Prajapati after Vedic Prajapati, the Lord, who
created the universe.[1]
According to a legend prevalent among Kumhars
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.
There is an opinion that this is because of their traditional
creative skills of pottery, they are regarded as Prajapati.

History
Pottery in Indian subcontinent dates back to Mesolithic
period which developed among Vindhya hunter-gatherers.
[4][5]
 This early type of pottery, found at the site
of Lahuradewa, is the oldest known pottery tradition in
South Asia, dating back to 7,000-6,000 BC.

Divisions
The potters are classified into Hindu and Muslim cultural
groups.[1] Among Hindus, inclusion of artisan castes, such
as potters, in the Shudra varna is indisputable. They are
further divided into two groups-clean caste and unclean
caste .
Among the Kumhars are groups such as the Gujrati
Kumhar, Kurali ke Kumhar, Lad and Telangi. They all, bear
these names after different cultural linguistic zones or
caste groups but are termed as one caste cluster. [11]

Distribution in India
Chamba (Himanchal)
The Kumhars of Chamba are expert in making pitchers,
Surahis, vessels, grain jars, toys for entertainment and
earthen lamps. Some of these pots bear paintings and
designs also.
Maharashtra (Marathe)
Kumhars are found
in Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Sholapur and Pune. Their
language is Marathi. They use Devnagari script for
communication. There are Kumbhars who do not belong to
Maratha clan lives in Maharashtra and have occupation of
making idols and pots.
Madhya Pradesh
Hathretie and Chakretie (or Challakad) Kumhars are found
in Madhya Pradesh. Hathretie Kumhars are called so
because they traditionally moved the "chak" (potter's
wheel) by hands ("hath"). Gola is a common surname
among Kumhars in Madhya Pradesh. They are categorised
as a Scheduled Caste
in Chhatarpur, Datia, Panna, Satna, Tikamgarh, Sidhi and S
hahdol districts[14] but elsewhere in the state they are
listed among Other Backward Classes.[15]
Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, Kumhars (Also known as Prajapat) have six
sub-groups namely Mathera, Kumavat, Kheteri, Marwara,
Timria and Mawalia. In the social hierarchy of Rajasthan,
they are placed in the middle of the higher castes and
the Harijans. They follow endogamy with clan exogamy.
Odisha and Bengal
In Bengal Kumhars are one among the ceremonially pure
castes. In Odisha they are two types (Odia Kumbhar and
Jhadua Kumbhar) who provide vessels for the rice
distribution to Jagannath temple. They are belongs
to Other Backward Classes in the state of Odisha.
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
The Kannuaja Kumhars are considered to be a decent
caste in both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Although they
sometimes use the term Pandit as their Surname. The
Magahiya Kumhars are treated little inferior to the
Kanaujias and the Turkaha (Gadhere). They belong
to other backward classes.
Gujarat
Kumhars are listed among the Other Backward Classes of
Gujarat, where they are listed with the following
communities: Prajapati (Gujjar Prajapati, Varia Prajapati,
Sorthia Prajapati), Sorathiya Prajapati.

Pottery - The clay work of Rajasthan

Pottery is another famous art work of Rajasthan and is

very attractive and fascinating due to its varied and
colourful designs. Rajasthani pottery can be used for both
decoration as well as in daily use (like mataka and surahi).
Cities like Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Alwar and Bikaner are the
prominent centers in Rajasthan for Pottery products or
likewise artifacts.The different varieties of pottery are:-
Blue pottery, kagzi pottery of Alwar, Glazed pottery,
Bikaneri pottery and Pokhran pottery. The capital city,
Jaipur is a city known for its majestic blue pottery that
was introduced in India by some early Muslim rulers.

Let’s discuss the various forms of pottery individually.

Blue Pottery - Blue Pottery is a traditional craft of Jaipur,

the pinkcity. Its origin is Turko-Persian. The name 'blue
pottery' comes from the eye-catching cobalt blue dye used
to color the pottery.   

The art of making blue pottery flourished in Jaipur under

the sway of Maharaja Ram Singh. Some of this pottery is
semi-transparent. They are mostly decorated with bird and
other animal motifs.

The items are primarily decorative, such

as ashtrays, vases, coasters, small bowls and boxes
for trinkets. Jaipur Blue pottery is different from
other pottery. It is made by mixing quartz stone powder,
powdered glass, Multani Mitti, borax, gum and water

Terracota Pottery - The Rajasthan terracotta items

includes paper-thin pottery, white and red clay articles,
painted pottery and terracotta wall plaques. The black
pottery is better sourced in South India and making its
mark up north in the district of Dausa, West of Jaipur.

Kagzi Pottery of Alwar - Alwar district in Rajasthan is

famous for its paper thin pottery referred to as Kagzi
Pottery. The roots of this type of pottery are often traced
back to the medieval era. It is a rare art, very few artisans
know the art to make this type of pottery.

Kagzi pottery can be classified in three distinct types -

First, A simple thin biscuit colour pottery.

Second, the pottery is polished and painted with white and

red slips. The outline of the planning is incised. This
system is named scrafito and it reveals the bottom colour

Third , a very unique variety; a really fine and highly

polished pottery decorated with strong, deeply incised,
stylized patterns of arabesques. The remaining area is
painted with rows and black dots. The contrast in colour
and pattern bring out the incised area adding to the charm
of the pottery.

Pokhran Pottery - Pokhran has stylized forms with incised

decorative patters, which are distinctive. In Pokhran, the
potters produce traditional utensils like Surahi (round
spherical bottle with narrow mouth), Lotas with long
spouts. The camel riders used these pots with pottery
plugs and slings as they take on their journey into the
great desert.

Bikaner Pottery - In Bikaner, Nohar region is famous for

producing painted pottery. Lac colours are used for
painting. Golden shade in the painted pottery of Bikaner
resembles the sand dunes of the region and makes it
more beautiful.

POTTERY AND ITS CULTURE

Pottery is one of the oldest forms of handicrafts in the Indian sub-continent. In
fact, it is not so much of an art, as it is, a way of life. Evidence of pottery has
been found in the Indus Valley and Harappa Civilizations. However, Indian
pottery continues to be a part of our households in the form of pots, pans, jugs,
water mugs and so on. The great thing about Indian pottery is that it has been
able to balance the artistry with mundane usage. Where on one hand, the skill
and style of the pottery handicrafts are a symbol of Indian culture, on the other,
the practical use of pottery in our everyday existence is common. More than any
other artifact, pottery tells us how ancient people interacted with their
environment and with each other. In our attempt to reconstruct the life of the
past, each new representation of a scene from that life is important either in
verifying our present knowledge or in supplementing it by fresh facts.

 BUSINESS.

The pottery business in India plays a vital role in earning

foreign revenue and the total GDP.
“A field of clay touched by the genius of man becomes a
castle.”
India is known to other countries on the trade route more
by its craft than religion and philosophy. Pottery is nothing
but a tangible and iconic Indian culture that often signifies
ancient history. Its exquisite beauty and elegant features
have made pottery, a modern form of Indian decor and
utility, not just history. Like all other handicrafts and other
arts, the tradition of pottery making is quite old in India.
Roots of pottery can be traced back to the Indus valley
civilization, Vedic, and also Mughal period. Pottery is
pretty famous in most of the Asian countries and is
spreading gradually all over the world. History says that
India is the essential source and very much responsible
for pottery art. Potteries were always in demand since
time immemorial for storage and another purpose. There
was a time when pottery was the primary source of
income for the traditional Indian business class. Hence,
the rise of pottery business in India is very evident.
Handmade ceramics like a bowl, utensil, vessel, in
different colors like was abundantly in demand and always
available in India. Gradually pottery became a profession
for Indians because of its utility factor.
Pottery Business in India
Pottery making business in India is a beautiful example of
the journey covered by an entrepreneur from ‘Mud to
Money.’ Pottery in India has evolved over the years into
magnificent ceramic art. It is not only a piece of clay for
daily utility but is also the most significant factor of the
source of income for many. Today entrepreneurs are not
just exploring their creative side by manufacturing
different pottery patterns but also building their careers
based on this creativity. The pottery business in India
provides mass employment to the people and the
upgraded standard of living. Both the rural and city people
comprise the massive workforce in the industry and have
contributed tremendously to India’s economy.
The pottery industry comes under the small scale industry
of India. Pottery is exported to over 140 countries from
India. In the year 2019-20, India has exported pottery
worth of 9.97 USD million. The volume of export in 2019-
20 was around 5164429.
Among the pottery products shipped from India, the most
common ones are chemical porcelains, handicraft art
ware, ceramic utensils, etc.

The pottery business in India has helped the budding

entrepreneurs to uplift to reduce poverty. Artisans can
work in all seasons and can produce craft in their leisure
time. The cost incurred for manufacturing pottery items is
less as most things are locally available and do not need
to be imported. Because of this reason, the industry is
classified as a small scale industry or household industry
and even called women’s trade. The women can actively
participate in the family income by working from home
and doing their bit. They can balance their home
responsibilities and use them very efficiently. This
industry earns from both the domestic as well as
international markets. The pottery items are produced in
bulk, so the artisans have fulltime work. Capital
investment for pottery business in India is less, so
artisans can start their own business on a small scale.
Demand and supply for the pottery products can be
balanced well, as this product could be stored in their
respective workspaces and sold whenever required. There
is a massive demand for pottery items.

Few characters of pottery industry include:      

  The pottery industry is highly decentralized.
 Less complicated in nature.
 Capital requirement is low, and so is the labor.
 Raw materials are readily available in the market in
the local area.
 Entrepreneurs are mostly self-employed artisans. 
 Simple technologies are used for pottery creation.
 Industry consumes significantly less energy to
produce pottery items.
Mostly pottery manufacturing is non- polluting and eco-
friendly

https://aatmnirbharsena.org/blog/pottery-business-in-india/

-unnati lal