Mangalore: An Andhra Pottery family that migrated from rural parts to coastal area of Mangalore near Marigudi in Urwa Stores, used to create several designs of pottery like water pots and coolers in mud (clay) and sell their products in local markets, Kundapur, even Kerala regions, when food used to be prepared in cookery pots in households.

The products, apart from pots and jugs for drinking water and cooking utensils to prepare rice or dishes (curries) for daily usage, also included mud lamps, Brahmakalasha pot, burning dhoopa / samrani trays, long jug pot, round large pots for storing water, ovens in kitchens to keep things warm and any other mud forms needed by clients as per orders received, were made. They included different forms of artistic lamps used for special occasions such as Diwali or marriages.

About 8 to 10 artisans would work in a group to make these pottery articles on show and made to order supplies. Although people appreciate the different sizes, shapes, designs and artistic attractions of pottery products, Gopal Kumbara laments that everything is not well with the producers of such mud articles. As required people are not available even on daily wages or coolie payments, the vocation is on its last legs, he added. The profession is largely rural and limited to potters’ families, either local or migrant. This family came 8 centuries ago and has picked up all local languages of the DK district, but is lonely, in spite of several generations of livelihood in Mangalore.

The potters bring clay from fields near Polali on the highway and season the mud in pits to cleanup.
The clean mud is put in 3 pits. The pits are used for separating stones and sand, trampling and seasoning the wet mud by legs and cooking the mud by baking to give shapes.
Before baking, mud is given several shapes by hands and press-blocks in sizes and forms. The pots, jugs and plates are done on pottery wheels using fingers and wet clay turning fast into different shapes.

The mud shapes are baked in a pit from moon to midnight to dry them up. When some of these products get broken, the patters incur losses of thousands of rupees. The pit used for baking can hold pots or jugs worth Rs.9000, says Gopal Kumbar.
Once taken to the market they are sold for Rs 7,000 giving a commission of Rs. 2,000 to the sellers above the cost price.

As to succeeding generations do not wish to continue the hereditary profession, the pottery making vocation is facing extinction. The younger boys in the family are in colleges, and have no desire to take up pottery, so only women in the family assist the main potter to turn out products, Gopal stated.
The potters do not get any govt assistance like, say, weavers and farmers. Vessels and cooking materials are made by various metals. Water is stored in plastic containers and jugs. Pots no longer last in rural or urban families. Cottage industries such as pottery need patronage from Govt, and the people who have economic power to protect them, says the now naturalized Andhra (Telugu) potters who are conversant with local people.