Clay/ Terracotta/ Ceramics/ POP

It is a real pleasure to explore the beauty of the Crafts of Chhattisgarh specially the Terracotta Figures. If you want to see the good collection of these figurines then visit the districts of Bastar, Jhabua, Raigarh and Mandia. In these districts Terracotta Figures are found in profusion.

Some of the most common and famous Terracotta Figures are that of Matri Devi or mother Goddess. The icons of the Mother Goddess are placed on the borders of the villages to save villagers from plague, fever and epidemics.

Pottery is made on clay. Bihar had a rich history of clay pottery work. Since the time of Mauryan and Gupta this art has been in practice in Bihar. The archeological excavations at places like Nalanda and Rajgir had confirmed the existence of this artistic craft in Bihar. Beautiful earthen utensils and tiles are made by potters of Bihar. They have the abilities and skill to do artistic and beautiful paintings on earthen pots. Patna is very famous for such work. Patna is also famous for making earthen statutes of various gods and goddess.

Terracotta as a medium has dominated the handicraft scene of Assam since time immemorial. The tradition itself has been handed down from the generation to generation without break. Today we have the descendent of such families engaged in improvised terracotta versions of various common figures of gods and goddesses to mythological characters.

One of the oldest crafts of Bengal is pottery. It is practiced in the state with beautiful variations, in exquisite styles. Different kinds of pots, like Mangal Ghat, Lakshmi Ghat, Manasha Ghata and Tulsimancha, are designed here. All of them have their own significance and distinctive style. Apart from being practiced for individual purposes, it is also designed and sold on a commercial scale.

This is a radition built up in contemporary times-several centuries of interaction with foreign craftsmen and a legacy left us by many years of British rule. The craft, however, is today flourishing in and around Calcutta and in some places in Birbhum district. New ceramic technologies have joined hands with a heritage of handicrafts to produce a range of fine, glazed ceramic products for decoration, dolly, toys, wall-hangings, household pottery and industrial application.