A TO Z INDIA ● FEBRUARY 2022 ● PAGE 8
Exploring India :
800-year-old Khavda Pottery in Rann of Kutch , Gujarat
Santha
The Rann of Kutch is a treasure trove of many oldest art forms , including Khavda pottery , most of which are diminishing handicrafts due to the lack of funds and support for the artisan families struggling to keep ancient crafts alive . Khavda pottery , an indigenous craft of Khavda Village in the region of Kutch , dates back to the 8,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization , where terracotta pots and toys were discovered during excavations . This earthen heritage of Gujarat is distinguished by its hand-painted beauty from other forms of pottery craft in the rest of the country .
Unfortunately , the craft of Khavda pottery is practiced by only two out of the ten families in the village . While most of the village households have adopted other means of sustenance , the Abdulla Kumbhar family is holding on to the inherited art of making Khavda pottery for survival . Over the past few years , Khavda pottery has lost sheen to plastic and ceramic products in urban households . Another family that is still engaged in the making of this ancient pottery despite petty incomes and inexplicable hardships in the extreme weather of Kutch is Ramzubhai ’ s .
While male folks of the two families mould vessels out of the clay called ‘ Rann ki Mitti ’, the women do the surface decoration in the form of painting . The beauty and delicacy of designs , including community-specific geometric patterns , made on the outer surface with red , white and black paints leave art connoisseurs in awe . Khavda pottery is equally useful for household utility and home décor . The Heart for Art Public Charitable Trust is helping the two artisan families generate additional income by organizing paid workshops in urban pockets and promoting their craft .