Potters slowly tread their way back to life

Thiruvananthapuram: The ´kumbarans´ of Aruvancode village in Nilambur have been sleeplessly working for the past one month. The Aruvancode village is well known for its

pottery

products including murals, sculptures and kitchen utensils.

Vijayakumari M is one such person who came to Thiruvananthapuram as a representative of the village hoping to see the result of the villagers’ hard work.

The pandemic hit the pottery makers very badly and the sale also went down. Vijayakumari has collected products from the 50 families in the village to help them sell the products.

She has been doing this for the past 22 years. This time she decided to exhibit the products in Thiruvananthapuram. The reason behind such a decision is the recognition and profit she received last time when she conducted the

expo

in the state capital.

The terracotta products, including tawa, varieties of pots, jug, cup, frying pan, showcase items, sculptures, indoor plant pots and candle stands are showcased in the terracotta

exhibition

being held at Gandhi Bhavan, Thycaud. The exhibition will end on January 5.

The price of the product varies between Rs 100 to Rs 2,000. Even though this is the first day of the exhibition, Vijayakumari is happy about the sale.

“While thinking about an exhibition and sale, the first place that came to my mind is Thiruvananthapuram. This is my third exhibition here. The reason behind that is the recognition and profit I got last time when I organized an exhibition in the city. Many people here still use this traditional terracotta utensil. In order to make more products for the expo, I have taken out a loan. I believe that I can repay the money with the profit,” said Vijayakumari M.

The products are made in such a way that it can be even used in the oven. It will take a week to finish the work of a product which will also undergo polishing.

The high-quality clay to make the products has been sourced from Palakkad. In order to sustain in this field, the makers have tried making many new products.


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