Pottery refers to the art or craft of a potter to manufacture a pot. It is also a place where the mud or dust is transfigured to full fill the aesthetic and functional desires of hearts. Such a serene place is located in the heart of Bangalore. Pottery town is situated very close to Cantonment railway station. The town came into being when Government gave designated area to 60 potters on 30 years lease. The inhabitants of this place are mainly potters with a long family tradition in pottery. The town is not bigger than a street and few crosses which displays pottery of all shapes and sizes. Every house in the street is home cum shop with varandah decorated by freshly made glazing pots bathing in the sun.
The Potters are very welcoming and delighted to showcase their art to outsiders. I was introduced to the life of clay by a seasoned potter - Sreenivas, who commands a tradition of more than 4 generations. It all starts with the preparation of clay. The purpose of this process is to ensure that the moisture is uniform, and the clay is de-aerated. The potters do kneading to ensure uniform moisture and wedging to de-aerate.
The Potters are very welcoming and delighted to showcase their art to outsiders. I was introduced to the life of clay by a seasoned potter - Sreenivas, who commands a tradition of more than 4 generations. It all starts with the preparation of clay. The purpose of this process is to ensure that the moisture is uniform, and the clay is de-aerated. The potters do kneading to ensure uniform moisture and wedging to de-aerate.
Once the clay is prepared they are shaped by hand building using a potters wheel. This is the most demanding phase where the artistic ability as well as skill of the potter is involved. It is very difficult for a beginner even to center the clay on potters wheel. Even though the process looks simple, it requires considerable time to make anything with proper symmetry.
For making idols, the first level of shaping is done using molds, on to which details are carved by hand and then taken for drying.
The shaped clay undergo at least two phases of drying, one is the sun drying, which reduces almost 80% of moisture from the clay. The clay gets sufficiently hardened but slightly pliable, Any additional decorations are done on the clay at this stage.
Once the shape is fixed and finalized, it is taken for firing in a kiln. Potter town has multiple kilns to satisfy the demands during festival seasons. The running of kiln is demand driven and does not function on all days.
The hardened clay from kiln is decorated with paints and dried before being labelled 'for sale'. The potters in the town prepare customized pots according to requirements.
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Apart from learning the process of pottery, this place is also a treasure chest for photographers. The attitude of the potters is very welcoming towards the camera lens and flash.
Photographers can visit the place early morning for a walk through the streets. The morning sun gives immense drama to the monotonous structures for a rewarding capture.
