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andhaarmanik terracotta project We did a series of short workshops here, spread over a period of one year in this small village in West Bengal. It was part of a government sponsored training course on terracotta conducted by an NGO based there. |
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Terracotta is an ancient craft in West Bengal and it is used extensively to make small disposable vessels for drinking tea and to pack sweets and other food items. The clay from the banks of the Ganges is ideally suited for this purpose and even today this has not been supplanted by plastic. These 'bhars' are made by throwing clay on a hand turned wheel and an experienced potter can make up to a 1000 pieces a day. The turned pieces are then fired in a primitive kiln using firewood and cattle dung as fuel. The kiln is also made of earth and is remade for each firing. Because the temperature of the kiln is low and not very consistent, no glazes can be used. We tried to expand this range to make some larger, more finished vessels for storing and eating dry food, small planters and lidded jars. Everyone was excited because they saw terracotta as purely functional and disposable. They could now see the aesthetic possibilities of the forms and the decorative possibilities of the raw material. This value-addition helped them get higher prices for their goods in nearby towns |
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