AT Photo: Potters making earthen lamps for Diwali
Chamata, Oct 27: As the festivals like Diwali, Kali Puja, etc., are round the corner, potters at Hirapara Suburi of Paschim Nalbari are busy in making various items these days. This season, they are planning to make 1.5 lakh of earthen lamps for the open market.
To achieve this, potters here, be it men, women and their children, are working relentlessly. They make not only the earthen lamps but also various types of earthen pots, vessels and other products during the year. The economy of the area largely depends on terracotta and pottery traders.
For the last 100 years, more than 70 families in the area, on the bank of the river Burhadiya, have been associated with this business.
They are full-filling the needs of the people in the district and its adjoining areas, especially during the festive season by making earthen pots and lamps. Sometimes, they supply these items to other parts of the State also and earn money.
Apart from many other issues, shortage of clay has turned to be a major problem for the potters here. Failing to get proper clay in the district, the potters here are buying clay from Morigaon district.
Some potters of Kulbil-Hirapara Suburi informed The Assam Tribune that the people of the Hira community, who are engage with this business, live at Pub Kalakuchi, Chariya, Darangipara (Mukalmua), Chamata-Kulbil-Hirapara, Koihati, etc., in the district.
They said that the potters buy clay paying Rs. 22,000 to Rs. 25,000 per truck. They stock the clay under the ground and use it whenever necessary.
Commenting on the process to make the earthen lamps, some of the prominent potters in the area namely, Maikan Das, Anjali Das, Akan Das, Jairam Das, Nilkanta Das, Surya Das, Dharmeswar Das, Hemata Das, Atul Das, Arjun Das and Bashanti Das informed that they are using the conventional method to make these items.
"All the products we make are handmade. There are no electric heat-chambers to dry them. We use straws, woods, bamboos, cow dung, etc., to make fire and dry them. We request the State Government to take necessary steps to improve the standard of the trade at the earliest," the potters said.
-By A Correspondent
