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What has been a profession since time immemorial; pottery is now pursued even as a hobby. That tough earthen pot you have in the house cooling water and giving it a refreshing taste goes beyond the basic look.
Earthen pots were created to cool down the water in rising temperatures of the summer season and relieve the parched throat. A glass of water from the pot could cool you down no matter what the season. Besides storing water, earthenware is also used as utensils to cook food. They are available in different shapes and sizes so that one can cook different volumes of food.
The refreshing tastes that are emitted from an earthen pot are not the same that you get from aluminium, steel or any other material. No doubt these earthen cooking vessels are most sought after even in urban areas. Hotels and restaurants use these pots to keep customers coming back to them for that unusual flavour.
Earthen pots have other imperative uses like storing water, food. It is also used during festivals like dandiya where pots are hand decorated and styled.
Decorating a pot has gone to such extents that a large number of small-scale industries are engrossed during the festival season. Each pot is hand painted and decorated with seashells, mirrors and other artistic ingredients.
Sometimes people are interested in decorating them or creating them. Pottery is not an easy task hence if one is interested then he or she should take up pottery classes which are widely available in India. It begins with understanding the material that is used to create the pot.
It could be mud, clay, ceramic, stone or even porcelain. With these materials the item is first shaped with the help of the turntable wheel. When the desired shape is achieved it is then blasted in high temperatures so that permanent changes occur to the pot. The high temperature result in making it tough and hard unlike mud that is easily malleable.
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The process can change according to the locality of the region. And accordingly the changes are made. These include the shape of the vessel, the material used and the process in which it is hardened and kept before sale.
As a beginner creating a shape can be quite mind-boggling. It may take days or weeks. To perfect the art, practice is cardinal. You must work on that piece of clay again and again until you are able to make a basic pot.
Begin with basic designs; do not go to reciprocate complex designs with high necks or flat bases. Create the basic again and again till your master the art. Then slowly start to learn the other designs.
As sometimes classes are only for a month and it takes a while to hone the skill, bring a turntable at home and practice what you learn at the class. This way, you will learn faster and make the most out of your pottery classes. Sometimes if the blasting has not occurred rightly then the porous pot can be used as flowerpots. So put your creativity to use and you will be able to create wonders.
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