Declining sales dampen pottery prospects

The coolest ones consigned to cold storagePithapuram: Changing preferences of people has a dampening effect on the sale of pots, which the potter makes toiling hard all through the year. Thanks to modern electronic gadgets like refrigerators and water coolers. Pottery is an ancient art, which is slowly fading away because of potter’s children also not evincing an interest to spin the potter’s wheel. It is a year-long laborious process and not limited to a day or a month.

The sale of pots has a season, but there is no season for making the pots. In kummari veedhi, where at least 20 families used to make pots, there are only two families now devoted to making pots. But, these two families are sure that even their wards will not make the pots for a living and would prefer an office or business career. The days when these pots would become museums pieces are not far away.

Those who run drinking water booths and road-side vendors selling butter-milk constitute the bulk of the customers for the potters. However, the potters are optimistic of brisk sale of the pots at least this year. Pottery as a cottage industry is dying for want of patrons. Plastic has replaced the pots in utility. The decrease in sale of pots is playing havoc with the lives of the potters. In Kummari Veedhi, potters have kept rows of pots in front of their homes waiting for a trader or a middleman to buy them. Because of the refrigerators, people are not interested in purchasing the pots.

Earlier, the sale of pots was directly proportional to the rise in Mercury. This year, this is not the case. The potters used to lead a comfortable life with the money earned during the season. But, presently the seasonal sale does not seem to be on an encouraging note. The arrival of monsoon is bound to pour cold water on the aspirations of potters to make a fast buck.

By Saride Nageswara Rao