Potter, potter, make me a …pot!
October 17th, 2006 | Published in Art & Culture, Hobbies, Living, Photography | 17 Comments
Somewhere in the bowels of Fraser Town is a non-descript place called Pottery Town. It’s not really a town, just a street that houses about 30 potter families. And have been for quite some time now. Apparently, Pottery Town was born when the Government gave 60 potters a designated area on a 30-year lease. Over the years, the potter’s days of glory has declined and many of the new generation don’t want to take it up.
Getting ready for the festival of lights
This is what I found from a website: “Almost 150 years ago, potters hailing from Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu migrated to Bangalore to explore new markets. In 1928, the British resettled them in the present Pottery Town near Frazer Town in the Cantonment area. Since then, this colony has been the single largest producer of pots in the City. With the decline in the use of pots for utilitarian purposes, pottery has been reduced to a decorative symbol.â€
The mud also comes from very far away areas like Kanakapura, Gubbi, Hoskote, etc, so the folks need to pay quite a hefty sum for it. Another problem is the lack of space. Everything from mixing the clay and making the products to baking and drying them in their tiny little work sheds. And they also need to use the same for displaying their wares.
A potter @ work making diyas
So how long the traditional pottery industry will survive is anyone’s guess.
Meanwhile, a few of us gathered there on Saturday morning and roamed around the area taking in the sights and sounds. It was rather interesting as it’s a very small place but we soon discovered multiple things happen in that limited area : starting from pots and items being painted, shaped, cleaned, dried and sold!
Different clay items perched on the wall
I was tempted to buy a large beautiful multiple diya for Diwali but since we’d parked very far away, I had to resist the temptation. I would however like to go back there and buy a few things. If you’re looking for lamps for the season, this is a good place to head and to buy in bulk.
October 17th, 2006 at 8:39 pm (#)
wow nice pics with lovely frame work in all three and the information about the traditional potter’s. you homework before publishing new post in your blog. late post but as usual unique in your way of keeping blog. interesting one. :)
October 18th, 2006 at 2:50 am (#)
whew … a post, atlast. Few of us, were biting our nails, wondering what happened?
October 18th, 2006 at 5:59 am (#)
Hi Anita, I enjoyed reading this post (and the others). The photographs are outstanding. Very clear and detailed.
Alan
October 18th, 2006 at 10:51 am (#)
hey lovely. It must be lovely to play with all that mud. Did you try? do you think they will let us do that?
October 18th, 2006 at 2:01 pm (#)
[…] Just a little something on Pottery Town. And Deepsan has some brilliant photographs from Pottery Town. Somewhere in the bowels of Fraser Town is a non-descript place called Pottery Town. It’s not really a town, just a street that houses about 30 potter families. And have been for quite some time now. Apparently, Pottery Town was born when the Government gave 60 potters a designated area on a 30-year lease. Over the years, the potter’s days of glory has declined and many of the new generation don’t want to take it up. […]
October 18th, 2006 at 3:43 pm (#)
Nice pics..as usual…did you try ur hand at making a pot?? or something??
just read the detailed Coorg trip post..awesome girl awesome..:)
October 19th, 2006 at 12:00 am (#)
@ kannan: thanks!
@ venky: hehe. that’s nice :) well, i am very much alive and kicking! was occupied with life and other assorted creatures but will not go away in a hurry :)
@ alan: thank you. glad you enjoyed it!
@ usha: absolutely. you can see me get my hands dirty here!
@ mehak: i had a go! check my link for usha! and thanks :)
October 19th, 2006 at 12:47 am (#)
Nice post Anita… loved the pics… would like to pen down some words from american poet Henry Wadsworth:
“Turn, turn, my wheel! Turn round and round
Without a pause, without a sound:
So spins the flying world away!
This clay, well mixed with marl and sand,
Follows the motion of my hand;
For some must follow, and some command,
Though all are made of clay!!”
October 19th, 2006 at 10:10 am (#)
nice article on the traditional art of pottery , perhaps worlds oldest art after rock paintings.
October 19th, 2006 at 3:10 pm (#)
haanji dheek le pic.…master at work !!!
October 26th, 2006 at 9:21 am (#)
Nice post and lovely pics. It’s just sad that modernization is driving such quaint places out of business. Hopefully the city planners can find a way to preserve the place and the people…make it funky or something.
October 31st, 2006 at 3:56 pm (#)
Didnt realize there was such a town, should definetly check it out.. thanks
–vp
November 9th, 2007 at 9:48 pm (#)
Great pictures. Pottery is truly an art.
Kris
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October 21st, 2008 at 1:11 pm (#)
[…] — This one is only applicable to residents of Bangalore. Go take a chakkar of Pottery town (near Frazer Town). It is hardly a town, its more like a busti of potters. We went there last weekend and the whole settlement is running in full throttle, trying to meet the sky high demand for diyas. We also witnessed live pottery making and also watched the pots getting baked in a furnace. It’s a great place to visit now, more so if you have children. You can ask them for a small lump of the potters clay to try out stuff at home. Don’t expect rock bottom prices as the potters have learnt the tricks of the trade, but it’ll still be cheaper than the market prices. […]