Pottery traditions

West Bengal’s Terracotta Pottery

Bankura horse be it a tabletop variant or an eight-feet high sculpture, it’s one of the most well-known manifestations of West Bengal’s long heritage of terracotta pottery, and found in every other household. Bengal’s traditional community of potters are the kumbhakars, and they engage in making everything from terracotta pots, toys, sculptures, wind chimes to temple panels. While a lot of the terracotta is considered complete after applying a burnt red wash, you’ll spot several intricately painted wares at craft melas and exhibitions, with scenes from epics, nature and folk tales. Most of the final touches are made by women, because the kumbhakars usually deploy a clear division of work: the men operate the wheel and fashion whatever is possible on it, while the women make the round bottoms of pots, the smaller figurines and dolls, and paint vibrant motifs. Terracotta temple decorations can be found in Bankura, Murshidabad, Nadia, Digha, Bishnupur, Burdwan and Hooghly.

Figures of horses, elephants, monkeys and other animals were originally used in village rituals for wish fulfillment, but now hold decorative value. However, the divine ties in Bengal’s terracotta pottery continues with the creation of ‘ghats’ or auspicious pottery. They’re well-known in the state, but are usually unheard of beyond the Ganga delta. Famous ghats are made for the goddess of wealth Lakshmi (usually paired with one for Ganesh), Krishna and Radha (called tulsimancha) and Manasha, the snake goddess (where the deity’s face is accompanied by hooded snakes).

Rajasthan’s Molela Murtikala

Nestled in Rajsamand district, Molela seems a nondescript village to many. It’s often in the shadow of Udaipur, which lies about 15 kilometres away. However, the village has a community of artisans that have garnered a name for themselves by developing an art style known as the Molela murtikala, where votive terracotta idols are made for use on flat surfaces like tiles and plaques. A unique art style, it’s also got a unique audience: tribal communities from Madhya Pradesh! In a practice existing for generations, tribals arrive in the beginning of the year to buy the terracotta plaques—brightly painted—from these potters. The shopping spree is ritualistic, as they’re accompanied by a priest, and usually focuses on acquiring plaques depicting the deities Devnarayan and Nagaraja, with specific colours ascribed to each deity. The votives are changed every year, and is believed to protect the tribals from bad luck. The demand for Molela murtikala also rises during the harvest and festival periods in Rajasthan. Potters prefer using the gentle winter sun to dry the clay, and aside from meeting religious demand, also mould scenes depicting the scenery around them.

What’s interesting is that the entire process is done by hand; there’s no potter’s wheel. Women tend to make the clay mixture, using soil from the nearby Banas river, animal dung, and rice husk, while men shape and decorate the murtis. 

However, the practice isn’t enough to sustain the villagers beyond the festive seasons, with many turning to agriculture to support their families. The art form has gained some traction, but mainstream visibility remains low. Artist Mohanlal Chandrabhuj Kumar was conferred the Padmashree in 2012 for his efforts in popularising and preserving this centuries-old tradition; he also established the Mohan Terracotta Art Research & Development Centre, where one can enjoy demos, workshops and exhibitions. Another award-winning artisan is Mukhesh Prajapat, who runs the Bhairav Terracotta Art Centre. Udaipur railway station also covered an entire wall with Molela’s charming reliefs, piquing the interest of all who pass through.