Pottery is a form of art that shapes and dries clay to form a particular shape for the purpose of daily use, play or decoration. It has existed in India for over 5000 years, since the Mesolithic Age. Every region in the country has a different style of pottery, complete with its distinct designs.
Khavda pottery artisans still use the same designs passed down from generations and found in Indus valley excavations.
Puri is home to ancient earthen pot-making which is specially used to cook and serve the temple’s sacred mahaprasad. The potters who serve the lord are but a single element of the great network of belief, duty and devotion.
Biodegradable, malleable and durable sculptures of terracotta range from pea-sized to figures of 10 feet take shape in their hands. These are adorned with intricate patterns and painted with colors of different shades of mud.
Needs, beliefs and imagination of the people have found shape and texture in clay. The craftsmen make figures of god and goddesses, animals as well as toys and objects of utility.
The Gundiyali pottery earthenware is characteristically adorned with patterns using different colors, like white and red, without any paint content.