In the dusty lanes of Raha and the riverbanks of Goalpara, the gentle sound of clay taking shape on a wheel is slowly fading into silence. The once-thriving indigenous pottery traditions of Assam — practiced by the Hira and Kumar communities — now stand at the edge of extinction, battling modernization, mass-produced alternatives, and a disinterested younger generation.
The Dying Art of Traditional Pottery in Assam
For centuries, pottery has been a vital part of Assamese rural life — not just as utility but as culture. From clay pitchers that cooled drinking water during the sweltering summers to ceremonial pots used in rituals and harvest festivals, earthenware formed an inseparable part of Assam’s identity. Today, however, this cultural craftsmanship faces an existential crisis.
Two Traditions, One Decline
The Hira and the Kumar are the two traditional potter communities in Assam, each with distinct styles, tools, and techniques.
The Hira potters, largely based in parts of Kamrup and Goalpara districts, are unique in that they do not use the potter’s wheel. Instead, they rely on hand-moulding techniques using bamboo tools, giving their products a distinct texture and form. Traditionally, Hira women were the primary artisans, while men supported them in clay collection and firing processes. Their craft, often considered more intricate, was closely tied to household and ritual use — from diyas to water vessels.
On the other hand, Kumar potters—found predominantly in districts like Nagaon, Barpeta, and Nalbari—use the traditional potter’s wheel. Their products were more standardized and mass-produced, catering to both rural markets and temple needs.
For decades, these two communities complemented each other’s work, and their products found buyers across urban and rural Assam. But over the last 20 years, demand has plummeted. And with it, so has the pride, purpose, and economic sustainability of their craftsmanship.
The Flood of Cheap Alternatives
The beginning of the end came with the influx of cheap plastic and aluminum utensils. “Why would anyone buy an earthen pot for ₹80 when a plastic one lasts longer and is available for ₹40?” laments Dimbeswar Hazarika, a 68-year-old Kumar potter from Dhing. His family has been in the profession for five generations. Today, his grandchildren prefer selling mobile recharge cards at the local market.
The situation is even more dire for the Hira community. As their method is more time-consuming and lacks mechanization, competing in the market with quicker and cheaper substitutes has become impossible.
The rise of Chinese-made ceramic and melamine items, sold in weekly village markets, has delivered another blow. These imported products, flashy and inexpensive, have charmed rural consumers away from earthy, fragile pots.
Seasonal Earnings, Year-Round Struggles
Potters traditionally saw a spike in demand during Bihu festivals, especially Magh Bihu, when clay items are used for ceremonial purposes. But even this seasonal dependence has declined, with most buyers opting for metallic or plastic alternatives.
Most potters today earn less than ₹5,000 a month — an amount that does not sustain even a small family. As a result, many have turned to daily wage labor, rickshaw pulling, or migrated to cities like Guwahati and Tezpur for construction jobs.
“The market for clay items is gone. My son now works as a helper in a tiles showroom,” says Jamuna Devi, a 55-year-old Hira potter from Boko. “Ironically, we shaped earth with our hands. Now, he sells polished earth made in machines.”
Lost Tools, Lost Techniques
Beyond economics, the decline of pottery is also a cultural loss. Ancient techniques passed down orally and through observation are being lost as fewer children show interest in the family trade.
Traditional Hira pottery involved unique processes like open firing using hay and bamboo twigs, and the use of local alluvial clay that gave a specific reddish tint to their wares. Without practice and documentation, these skills are vanishing.
Institutions like the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra and some departments of fine arts in universities have conducted workshops, but outreach remains limited. There is no comprehensive policy or sustainable livelihood program from the government that supports potters long-term — only short-term exhibitions and token financial aid.
The Gendered Disparity
It’s worth noting that the Hira tradition, largely upheld by women, suffers deeper neglect. Female potters often face double marginalization — first as artisans in a fading industry and second, as rural women with limited mobility or access to schemes and training.
Most women potters work out of mud courtyards, without shelters or kilns. Their tools are simple: flat stones, wooden paddles, and their own hands. Yet, they produce finely balanced items used in daily rituals — from incense holders to ceremonial oil lamps.
As climate change and frequent flooding affect clay availability, these women face an even greater challenge in procuring raw materials.
Efforts at Revival
All is not lost, though. A few NGOs and design schools have partnered with potters to contemporize traditional pottery—transforming it into aesthetic décor items, planters, and sustainable kitchenware.
Social media has also helped younger artisans showcase their creations online. In 2024, a startup based in Guwahati launched a brand called “MaatiBorn” which sells Assamese pottery to eco-conscious buyers across India. Their designs, which retain the rawness of Hira pottery, have found favor in cafes, resorts, and among urban millennials.
However, these efforts remain isolated, and artisans without digital access remain excluded.
What Needs to Be Done
The road to reviving pottery in Assam lies in policy intervention, skill preservation, market linkage, and pride reinstatement.
- Skill documentation and incorporation into school and college curriculums can help preserve the heritage.
- Subsidies for kilns, shelters, and tools can reduce the financial burden on artisans.
- Design interventions and partnerships with brands can help make pottery contemporary and market-relevant.
- Digital literacy programs can empower potters to reach a broader consumer base.
- Above all, pottery must be celebrated not as a relic but as a living tradition worthy of investment.
The Final Clay Print
Pottery in Assam is not merely a profession — it is a language of the land. From the Hira woman sculpting a diya with her fingers to the Kumar man spinning a pitcher on his wheel, each artisan tells a story that goes beyond clay and fire. It speaks of a culture rooted in simplicity, in sustainability, and in soul.
If not protected now, this story will remain only in museum corners and dusty archive files. And the hands that once shaped Assam’s earth will be remembered only for what they couldn’t hold onto — a tradition slowly slipping through their fingers.
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