BY ALBERT FERNANDES | NT NETWORK
POINGUINNIM: The potter’s wheel is truly a fascinating piece of equipment. One can stare at it for hours and be amazed at how a lump of clay, with the expertise of the potter, turns into an object of beauty.
The potter’s wheel was once quite popular with plenty of artisans in Goa engaged in pottery to earn their livelihood. Presently, however, this trade has lost its appeal for many reasons, and most of the artisans have given up the trade of the job at the wheel, just as the blacksmiths face trying times.
As per reliable information, there were more than 30 artisans engaged in this trade some 25-30 years back in Canacona, sadly today after much searching, just one family was located, which still engages in the trade of pottery, and that is the family of Mr Khushali B Bhagat, living at Mastimol-Canacona.
The fact remains that pottery is usually a profession that involves the entire family.
Mr Khushali Bhagat who spoke to ‘The Navhind Times’ at his Mastimol residence, informed that different types of pottery wheels are used in different parts of India, but the Goan potter’s wheel is the simplest of its kind. It is a horizontal wooden spiked fly-wheel, which is 2 metres in diameter. It has a thick, rounded central disk and an outer rim held together with multiple wooden cross spokes.
Some of the clay items seen at Khushali’s residence, included the ‘tovo’, ‘kollso’, ‘kanso’, ‘maitull’, ‘kuinnem’, ‘kopro’, ‘bhann’, ‘buddkulo’, ‘divli’, ‘ponti’, ‘vail’, vase, etc. All these articles are still used in households, whereas the oil lamps like ‘divlis’ and ‘pontis’, occupy a special place as they are used during different rituals.
Mr Khushali says that a lot of prospective buyers come to his residence to buy the clay items. He says further, that today clay has lost a lot of its demand due to the flood of items made of plastic, indoleum, steel and other material, which is not as fragile as clay, and requires less care.
But a considerable percentage of people have still stuck to using clay items. Earthen pots and items if handled properly can last for years. Even clay items that are used for cooking are preferred by many people as they believe the food prepared in them is tastier than that prepared in steel vessels.
Mr Bhagat said that clay items have a great demand in hotels, restaurants and gardens as items of decoration and people are willing to pay good money for fancy items to decorate their surroundings.
Mr Bhagat further opines that he is confident of his trade and that it will sustain him and his family as during various festivals in temples, only clay items are sought after and used. He said that as he is the only artisan still practicing the trade, the temple mahajans during the year place orders with him for the required clay items. Mr Khushali informs that 25 per cent subsidy is given by the government to boys and 30 per cent for the girls to buy implements of this trade. This scheme is a central scheme implemented by the Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Products Development Corporation.
The blacksmith too is facing a similar dilemma. This trade which once upon a time was so progressive has become slowly a dying art, as the government has no scheme floated for the benefit of the people who are engaged in this trade.
Mr Nazario Dias, aged 46, a resident of Bhatpal, being an ITI educated says that about 50-70 per cent of blacksmiths have given up this trade only because the government has no scheme floated for them in this job. He says that through this trade one can get by and has sufficient for day-to- day living, however, one is not able to save anything for a rainy day or for one’s future. He also said that often in this trade the customers pay half in cash and half in kind.
The blacksmith makes a great number of implements and tools like choppers, spades, axes, saws, knives, sickles, iron ploughs, etc. Many of the farmers in Canacona are still dependent on the blacksmith as many of the implements used in farming till today are hand made by the blacksmith. If the profession of the blacksmith dies in Canacona, the farmers will be greatly affected.
Mr Nazario however says that some years back this trade flourished, but with the flowering of welding garages this trade has taken a beating. Youth who would have otherwise carried on this tradition are now turning to foreign lands or white collar jobs, and do not want to stand in front of a hot fire hammering on a piece of metal. He said this trade needs patience and hard work, if one expects to do well.
Apart from this, Mr Dias opines that in the earlier days, the raw material used, namely coal, needed for burning and heating the iron bars and rods to transform them into useful tools, was available in plenty and was pretty cheap, but today the Forest department has slapped restriction on it. One cannot venture into the forested areas in search of firewood. He fears that this trade is slowing moving towards extinction.
He therefore feels that the government should help at least those who are still in this trade to purchase the necessary tools needed to keep it alive. He said the government should initiate a scheme to provide electrical as well as gas tools so that the work is done faster and at the same time save money on fuel.
Mr Nazario said the government should think seriously and on a priority basis to do something for the blacksmiths all over the state, before the trade dies altogether.
