A look at an ancient craft
By Faisal Magray
Having served Kashmiri
homes for centuries, traditional earthen pottery might soon become a thing of
the past. Pottery took the shape of indigenous Kashmiri art and some people
adopted it as a profession. Pottery is one such art, which was once very
popular in Kashmir. The people, who are associated with this art, are called
Kral (in kashmiri ) and Potter ( in english).
Hundreds of people were, once, associated with
this trade and products made by them were used for domestic purpose. The potter
used to make numerous utensils with different designs in their workshop. It is a wheel driven by
hands. In the middle of it is placed a lump of clay from which pots are made.
When desired pot is ready, it is then detached from the wheel by a special thread
called kralpan (in kashmiri). From large vessels to miniature cups, they are
first baked in the potters miniature kiln and then decorated. After then they
are carried to the adjacent village markets where they are sold.
In Nishat, Srinagar,
the locality of Kral Sangri was known for pottery making. Young and old in each
family would make earthen pots. However, now only a few families make these
earthen utensils in the entire locality. Pottery, once the main source of
income for many, is now a closed chapter the inhabitants do not want to return
to. During the past few decades these earthen pots have been replaced with
aluminium, plastic and steel products, affecting the livelihood of a large
number of artisans engaged in the trade.
However the tradition
of using these items is fading away. It has forced the people, who are involved
in this business, to look for alternatives as the demand for these items is
declining. They have closed their workshops. Their condition is not good they are living a miserable life. The golden
hands which once chiseled marvels of soil have been neglected. These craftsmen
have been deceived by their own ancestral art because it did not stand the
assault of machine made utensils.
