In the days of Diwali 2022, the first choice of customers is earthenware. In today’s era, there is a shortage in pottery. It can be said that the trend of people is now decreasing in pottery. This is the reason that now their demand has also reduced.
As Diwali is approaching, Mohammad Umar Kumar, who aims to revive Kashmir’s “dying” art of glazed pottery, is working tirelessly to deliver 15,000 earthen lamps. Kumar (27), a commerce graduate from Nishat’s Ishber area, says it’s a difficult challenge to revive the age-old craft, but he’s not giving up. A recent order for “diyas” (earthen lamps) for the Diwali festival brought both hope and money.
“I received an order for 15,000 lamps for Diwali from a dealer in Kulgam district. The lamps must be delivered before the festival,” Kumar stated.
Kashmir is well known for its art and craft
Kashmir is known for its glazed pottery, also known as “Dal Gate pottery.” Originally, the valley produced glazed tiles in deep green, blue, brown, and ochre. This craft was later subdivided into tableware and vases with red, green, and blue glazes.
Kumar’s most recent order entails shaping the lamps on the potter’s wheel, drying them, and then clay-firing them. He’d also sell some of the lamps at his shop in the city’s Hazratbal neighbourhood. Kumar has also enlisted the help of his father and brother in the business.
He claims that there were once over 500 families in the city involved in the craft, but that number has now dropped to around 50. “I am trying my best to involve more families and while I have succeeded to bring back six of them, it is a tough challenge,” Kumar said, adding there should be support at the government level.
Kumar made headlines in 2021 when he decided to revive the “dying” art of glazed pottery in Kashmir, which he learned from an octogenarian. He not only involves his family in the craft, but he also teaches it to a few young people in an effort to keep it from fading into obscurity.
Glazed pottery making art is dying
Glazed pottery, like many other art forms in Kashmir, was once famous and sought after, but it is slowly dying as the younger generation in the valley is unwilling to ‘get their hands dirty.’
He manufactures various items, including decorative ones, and prepares the glazed colour himself. He uses waste glass, lead in used battery cells and powdered waste copper metal in his craft.
Kumar said the demand for glazed pottery items was so huge that he was finding it difficult to keep up.
“The demand is there, the market is there, but I cannot alone meet it,” he said. Kumar said he wants to restore this art to how it was in the yesteryears. “My goal is to have at least one pottery item in every house in the Kashmir valley.” he said.
