This past week as we entered through the gate of Triveni Kala Sangam, stalls of beautiful pottery caught the eye. A wide range of bottle kiln, handmade-terracotta jewellery, stoneware and earthenware pottery were arranged aesthetically at the steps of amphitheatre. We were at TerraFest, an exposition of traditional Indian clay work, organised under the aegis of the Delhi Blue Pottery Trust.
Craftspeople from various parts of country came together to exhibit their talent at the four-day exhibition. One could easily see how over the years things of daily use have transformed into pieces of art. Glazed kilns and vases, tea lanterns, tiles with mythical symbols were catching the attention of the connoisseurs. “With a view to giving them a larger platform to showcase their work, it is for the first time that we curated such a gathering of traditional terracotta potters with subsidised stalls for them at one venue. Whatever they earn from the sale of items goes to them thereby motivating them to stay in the profession,” says Ravi Batra, a trustee.
Omprakash Galav, a craftsman from Alwar, who holds the Limca Book of Records for building a 10-feet high terracotta replica of the Coke bottle and a UNESCO Award of Excellence for Handicrafts, exhibited his modern-miniature pottery like tea lanterns and candle lanterns which were made with pure clay where no chemicals are used in preparation. He wanted to revive the kaagazi pottery from Alwar, known for its glazed look. He drew inspiration from traditional items like temple tiles and utensils, which were no longer functional and turned them into contemporary showpieces to beused as gifting options. “It used to be popular but now it is on the verge of extinction as an art form,” lamented Galav.
Then there was the imposing Nandi (mythical bull), a life-size animal figure, made by blending two types of clay, which artist Renga Swami had brought from Tamil Nadu. “Honed for centuries by our ancestors, one piece takes at least three days to complete,” said Swami, who hails from Pudukkottai.
As we reached the open ground in the gallery, a workshop was on where Galav was teaching how to make miniature pottery on the electronic wheel, to art enthusiasts. We learnt that while working on a miniature pot one has to be cautiouswith the neck.
Putting the idea of the fest in perspective, Anuradha Ravindranath, another trustee of Delhi Blue Pottery Trust, said, “At TerraFest we registered 15 pottery makers from different regions of the country out of which nine turned up. We usually promote studio pottery but last year we started potter’s bazaar where lots of traditional craftsmen showed their interest. The idea of having a fest dedicated to traditional potters emanated from that experience. We don’t know that we can revive this dying art but surely we can sustain it till we can.”
