Potter's village Lodai, Kutch

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by,

Daraab Saleem Abbasi & Aritakula Shree Tej

in association with

Ismail Bhai stands as the sole full-time potter in Lodai Potters Village. Once a thriving community with every household engaged in pottery for their livelihood, the numbers have dwindled from 40 artisans a decade ago to just one now. Ismail Bhai remains dedicated to his craft, practicing pottery every day. While others in the village only take up pottery during festivals like Navaratri and Diwali, he and his wife, Fatema Ben, create magical, beautiful artifacts through their craftsmanship.

Sourcing mud from a nearby mountain for local work, Ismail Bhai is a hands-on artist, doing everything himself. His inspiring dedication to his craft is overwhelming, especially considering his past as a daily wage worker in Dubai. Despite traveling there multiple times to make a living, he returned to pottery when his passport expired, choosing to continue the legacy.

A simple potter, Ismail Bhai follows traditional processes, highlighting the stark contrast with other potters who may produce double the number of pots. However, his pots outlast others by more than three years, as opposed to the few months that others' creations tend to last. Recognizing the need for personal space to protect his work from children and cattle, he now resides in his own plot of land, where he has ingeniously set up a makeshift house and workshop.

Despite facing difficulties in earning a substantial income, Ismail Bhai persists, conducting workshops in various states of India and collaborating with organizations like Khamir to sustain his craft and preserve the rich heritage of pottery in Lodai.

impressions of magic and identity

Material Library

The object library was created in collaboration with Ismail bhai. Him and we were going around his workshop and premises collecting objects, materials and placing them in pouches for discussion. Post the collection we sat over a chai talking about each of them. These objects connects the story to various tools, methods, processes, activities, memories and history.

A manual pot making wheel made out of Loha (iron). Hands or feet are used to rotate the disc on which the pot is made.

Ismail Bhai showing the use of fishing net that he uses to smoothen the surface of the pot. (below)

He crafts his brushes by cutting a piece of bamboo, soaking it in water for two days, and then giving it a gentle hammering. He emphasizes the necessity of this process, stating that a dry brush won't serve the purpose as it needs to absorb water. Sharing a tip, he explains the technique of placing wood at the bottom and hammering from the top with another piece of wood to create a durable brush. According to him, this method yields a functional brush that lasts for about two months. During his work, he typically keeps the brush immersed in water. After two months, instead of discarding the entire brush, he adopts a sustainable approach by only cutting the head and reusing the rest after soaking it again. This highlights his resourceful and eco-friendly approach to his craft.

Explore Stories, Memories, Methods, through OBJECTS & MATERILS

Click on the object gallery to know in detail.

Dokha, branch of a tree, Dried and dehydrated over time is used to break down the big chunks of soil to smaller particles. A curved branch is chosen as it is ergonomic to hit and swing around the neck for a Smash!

Tool used to drag and accumulate mud.

GADHAI technique

Ismail bhai holding Pithai (stone object-left hand) and a wodden spatula(right hand). Pithai is placed inside the pot and the spatula is used from outside to hit the wet pot while making. This makes the wall of the pot thin and lighter than the ones just made on the pottery wheel. Ismail bhai says it is very difficult now a days to find someone who is selling Pithai. one has to get it made, or travel long distances to find someone.

Click on the gallery to explore Note-Cam images.

A loudspeaker for phones made from terracotta. The speaker has a slit in the body in which the phone's speaker side is to be placed.

Ismail bhai holding a terracotta jar. The jar is used to carry, store and serve water. It comes with a lid and a handle.

Listen to the sounds of the JHOOMER, A terracotta wind chime. And Ismail bhai talk about it. Everything from the beads, small bird sculptures and the bells are made from clay. It has been baked and has withstood different kinds of weathers.

Artefacts and products

A catalogue created by a student from Khamir on Ismail Bhai's Earthen Collection. Various kinds of products and artefacts have been documented. Scroll through the document to know more aout Ismail Bhai's work and craftsmanship.

A bottle made from dye using clay mixed with chemicals. Manufactured using machine

Bottle made by Ismail bhai using traditional methods. He speaks about this in the recording below.

Sounds,
Useage,
Story of waterbottle

Made by Ismail bhai and Painted by Fatima Ben the waterbottle comes with a lid and can store a little more than a Liter of water. It keeps the water cool and is carried around by people in wet jute sacks (to keep cool). The handle provided on the side lets one tie a rope and wear it around their shoulder during transit.

Mitti

Mountain opposite his house from where he gets the mud for local pots and diyas (lamps).

When asked about his relationship with the mud, he describes it as firm and unwavering, saying to think of it as mine and mitti's relationship, which is pakka and solid. He explains that now he can't engage in any other work, staying at home and working all day. Expressing the importance of mud in his life, he affirms, "Mitti is good. Our livelihood runs on it."Discussing the challenges faced, he mentions a report written by a young man advocating to save the place for potters and protect the pottery craft. However, he notes that despite these calls, little has changed. He reveals a specific issue with a mountain where he gathers soil for clay, as people have encroached upon it, claiming it as their land and prohibiting others from taking mud.

When questioned about communicating with mitti, he responds affirmatively, saying, "I talk to mitti." He goes on to share that mitti advises him, stating, "Mitti tells me, if you take the right soil, I'll make sure when you fire it, it turns into good mitti." This underscores the importance of a meaningful dialogue with the earth in his craft.

The Dokha Hit

Once, a conflict erupted in our kumbar community while we were smashing mud. The police were called, investigating the injury of a guy during the process. The person responsible admitted, "I was hitting the mud with the Dhoka, and it hit him."

The plot thickened when he described the Dhoka as thin and frail. Upon closer inspection, he burst into laughter, realizing it was unexpectedly heavy. "We can't even lift it," said the policeman. Such incidents are quite common when a group is smashing mud; someone often gets hurt due to the weight of the Dhoka.

As the mud particles scatter, the women, usually Masi, sweep the mud to the center. Reflecting on the incident with a hint of humor, he jokes that even while smashing, one has to be careful because the Dhoka moves through the air. Despite the occasional mishaps, he proudly shares that he has never been hurt by the flying mud, highlighting the need for caution in handling this essential tool in their craft

The mela theft

Coming Soon

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