The Pot Fair

Ahead of Krishna Janmashtami,Kumbharwada is abuzz with activity as potters are busy creating,colouring and decorating matkis for dahi handi

Drowned in work,Yukub Mohammad Shakilka sits inside a small shack by the roadside at Kumbharwada amid hundreds of matkis (pots) some whitewashed,while the others painted with eye-catching patterns. For Shakilka,art has no caste,creed or religion. Shakilka has been painting pots for the past 40 years for use during the dahi handi competition,a traditional sport organised on Krishna Janmashtami. My work for the festival started eight days ago, says the 60-year-old artist.

Many other potters like Shakilka sit in their shacks,working out intricate designs on pots. They say that pot designs for dahi handi have changed a lot over the years. The usual floral compositions have been replaced by geometrical depictions. Another trend in designs is the use of Warli art,a traditional style of the indigenous Warli tribe. These paintings symbolise the balance of universe by placing male and female figures side by side.

Selling dahi-handi matkis since 1973 is Kishore Wagholikar,who owns a factory at Keshavnagar where the pots are painted before Janmashtami. My wife and daughter colour and design all the pots, he says,adding,The work has just started. It will pick up pace a couple of days before the festival,which is on August 28 this year. Speaking about the innovative designs that have come up in the market,Wagholikar says that this year,he has added lace,zari,small pieces of glass cut in various shapes,and chumkis (sequins) on the pots to enhance the look.

However,not all are big on new designs. Owner of Vijay Arts at Kumbharwada,24-year-old Ajay Shinde believes in keeping the designs traditional and simple by not experimenting much. Honestly,I think people love the matkis that way, claims Shinde,whose father was in the business for over 30 years until Shinde took over a few years ago. Talking about the labourers engaged in creating the pots,Shinde says,We never hire professionals to model the matkis. All the handis are made by my own family members.

According to Ashok Gulabrao Kumble,who runs a small shop in the area,the demand for pots has not risen yet. Sales will pick up just a day before Janmashtami, says Kumble,adding that he gets orders from cooperative housing societies in and around the city,mostly in Wagholi and Vishrantwadi. Even Wagholikar says that although the work is in full swing,the pots will start selling only later. People prefer buying the matkis on the day of the festival,which reduces the risk of damage, he says.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories