Growing up, I didn’t realise when those clay plates got replaced by disposable boxes and paper plates
With our world becoming a global village, we’ve all become an industrialised mob who cares less for traditional methods and items
However, that taste and feel of the clay is still alive with me
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Arif Soomro/Express[/caption] This year, when I was appointed as the Creativity, Action and Service coordinator for Beaconhouse School System, Margalla Campus, I decided to make our young minds think about the art of pottery
My inspiration was Mr Laloo Parsad Yadav, the Indian railway minister, who has revived (at least tried to) the art of pottery in the Indian railway
He made it mandatory for the railways to use clay cups known as kulhars
There was a great admiration for his ideas across the country
The cottage industry of pottery flourished for a while in Gujarat
However, with time, the idea collapsed as the cost of a clay cup was far more than a disposable cup
Other than that, there was a drastic raise in pollution levels of related areas as the Kilns required fuel to work
The cups made were not re-useable and, above all, tea vendors were unhappy as the liquids poured into the cups were absorbed, therefore, they had to use almost double the quantity
Vendors inflated the price of tea and eventually consumers became unhappy
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Arif Soomro/Express[/caption] All of this made me think: this, an apparently good idea, had loopholes, yes, but does that mean we let the art of pottery die? Finally, I decided to call in a potter to work with my students
This is where I realised how rapidly the art has died out
I was not able to find a single potter in the twin cities
I used all my resources, even registered with Lok Virsa but all in vain
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Arif Soomro/Express[/caption] After an almost two weeks of struggle and networking, I finally met a potter who now works in a ministry as a driver
He lived in Saidpur village and had left his family business as it was not earning enough to make ends meet
He was very excited to know that I wanted him to teach kids how to make a clay pot
On September 18, we arranged the activity for girls between ages 13 to 16
I wish I could share those moments with all the readers
Every student was so excited while making pots
They wanted to knead clay and play with it
It was a simple, exciting and inexpensive activity
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Arif Soomro/Express[/caption] My reason to write about this whole experience here is that we all should aid the revival of our dying arts and craft
These things and people are our tradition and identity
I would request all our teachers to arrange a pottery day in their schools
I can provide them with the contacts as well
This generation deserves to enjoy the feel of cold clay in their hands, just like we did
I am now planning a focus group discussion forum with the girls who participated in this activity, to see how we can, as an organisation, help to revive this art
Just like language, music, literature, traditions and other cultural aspects of Pakistan, we must strive to revive pottery
It is a drop in an ocean, yes, but it is something that needs to be done
Will you help revive your favourite part of culture? Keeping my fingers crossed!
| Date: | 01-Nov-2014 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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