Which cultures do the rural Bangladesh represent since the time immemorial? Broadly, the answer might be traditional arts and crafts but what comes first is pottery, the decorative face of Bangladesh. It has a magic that master artisans have been weaving with their wand-like hands. The earthenware or clay-made wares were the essential household articles for centuries. The use of pottery was common in the celebration of various fiestas and festivals. However, is pottery a thing of the past and this fine art going into atrophy, really.
Let’s look at an eye-soothing picture at Nolam Palpara, some 38 kilometres off the capital Dhaka. A handful of artisans, men and women, are absorbed in putting strenuous efforts to make pots, pitchers, jugs, glasses, bowls, buckets, small banks, pot covers, dishes, flower vases and dolls. They are out to keep their ancestral profession alive. As time passes, many in their neighbourhood have left this ancient art, yet some are still retaining pottery with profound passion. The potential of pottery is immense and this craftwork is contributing a lot to the country’s nascent ceramic sector.
A potter in his late 30s, Palash Pal, told this author during a recent visit to this pottery village, said this very Nolam Palpara, in Savar upazila under Dhaka district, was once famous for the traditional artistic pottery as almost all residents were engaged in the pottery industry. Palpara people have transformed their lifestyle over the years. From the kitchenware to attire, a dramatic shift is seen as they are trying to cope with the changing trends and cultures. But a visit to some makeshift outlets near Doel Chattar adjacent to the Bangla Academy and Dhaka University campus, which stretches all the way to the High Court gate, tells us a different tale. Most of the traders expressed their utter satisfaction with pottery sales after years of stymied growth in the business. According to sector insiders, pottery business is evolving faster these days as enthusiasts from all walks of life prefer a glittery album of aesthetic pottery and terracotta showpieces.
From utensils to showpieces, once upon a time their ancestors crafted and used traditional pottery items in their everyday household work. For ages, villagers used earthenware as household tools. With the passage of time, this long-held tradition has shifted drastically. Some craftspeople are exerting their efforts to boom and boost their long-standing business and tradition into a different path.
Citing that his ancestors were involved with this occupation for hundreds of years, Mr Pal said in 2005, when he started this trade by acquiring hands-on training from a local artisan, a total of 40 families were engaged in making earthenware. The number has tragically come down to only eight now. Their profession remains on the line for shortage of soil, wood and funds.
The oldest art of the country is clay-made crafting, that is pottery. The main raw material of pottery is soil. However, this cannot be crafted with any soil. Clean sticky soil is the key component for this clay art. Business only grows substantially during festivals. Potters struggle to survive with their craft in the rest of the year, said Mr Pal.
Those who can prepare items with aesthetic value are doing better business as the demand for such items has dropped. Nobody in his village is making any aesthetic articles due to fund shortages and patronage. A good number of people throng Dhaka’s different sales points, including Doel Chattar, to buy various types of pots and pans, flower tubs, vases, showpieces, lamps, umbrella stands, portraits, toys and wall tiles, Mr Pal acknowledged.
Prominent potters from Patuakhali, Dhaka, Narsingdi, Manikganj and some northern districts supply such products across the country, including the metropolis Dhaka. The 69-year-old bearded Abul Kashem Sikder, who has set up a makeshift outlet at Doel Chattar, said this place has become the biggest pottery market. He bought most of the artistic pottery products which are crafted in different parts of the country including Barishal, Cumilla, Faridpur and Dhaka’s surrounding Dhamrai, Savar and Nabinagar areas. Mr Sikder sells more than 150 items which are molded and sculpted by the local Pal community. He does not sell any traditional pottery as they are almost on the verge of extinction, he mentioned.
Some foreign tourists often visit his shop and they also cannot resist the temptation of buying articles from a dazzling collection of items. Mr Sikder sells Tk 3,000-5,000 daily and his annual turnover is estimated at Tk 2.0-2.5 million.
Dhaka has been the nerve centre of Bangladeshi pottery since time immemorial. The pottery industry has been settled for hundreds of years along the banks of the Banshi, including Kaggiyapara, Palpara of Dhamrai, Nabinagar of Savar, Nalam and Bhagalpur.
But this art still survives with bars and barriers. For survival, many people have left their ancient calling. Even if some are trying to hold on, they too are plagued by so many pains, according to the industry people.
In 1975, more or less 65 potters in the village were involved in this craftsmanship, but the number has come down to only eight now, indicating the state of the aesthetic art, he said. To mould earthenware, potters have to acquire clay through a strenuous process. They have to collect clay mainly during dry season. Initially, clay was passed through various stages of molding media like wood, stone, shell and metal before reaching the age of ceramic and porcelaina.
The sexagenarian Madhob Pal, an artist and sculptor, who has three sons employed at different private organisations, was born and brought up at the same village and started crafting various sorts of pottery items 32 years back in 1990.
About soil collection, Mr Madhob said potters have to acquire soil by making 8-10-foot deep holes underground by hand. Due to soil, energy and financial crises, the craft lovers will not be able to find the craft available for long, he warned. Their lifestyle has changed over time with aluminium and plastic products replacing earthenware in their daily life. He has urged the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to revive the profession in his locality. Dipali Rani Pal (45) and her 55-year-old husband Narayan Pal, who have two sons and one daughter, are making clay curd pots for their livelihoods. She has been doing the work since childhood as her parents were also engaged in the same calling.
Ms Dipali only makes the single pottery item commercially as demand for other traditional items has fallen drastically, she said, adding that she never received any support from any public or any private organisation. The resolute Dipali, however, wants to continue her ancestral profession at any cost. Pottery appeared in the highly alluvial Bangladesh where fine clay is a distinctive geological feature, in or around 1500 BC. The ancient inhabitants of the part of the world exploited this natural resource for making pottery stuff.
Written by Sajibur Rahman
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