Terracotta of Uttar Pradesh
History
Pottery has a wide universality and its tradition goes back to span of five millennium. This craft came via Persia, when Mongal Chengiz Khan had conquered China in AD 1212. The remains of the terracotta objects from the early historical sites of Mathura, Rajgaht, Kanauj, Kaushambi and Ayodhya reveal the existence of terracotta art in ancient past. Meerut is famous for its turned and moulded water containers with striking designs of flowing lines and floral patterns. Gorakhpur has continued the age old Tradition by making decorative and ritual terracotta objects. Amroha pottery used to be thin and brittle white in colour and ornamented with colours and with gold and silver leaf. In Mathura-Vrindavan, the art of working in terracotta is of greater antiquity. These terracotta are not only documents of religious sculpture but are important as documents of early history of art, expression of the artisitic urge of man.
Techniques Used
The clay is mixed with ash and sand is kneaded by feet, collected and cut with lahasur. It is then kneaded with hand, on peeda and a lump is made. All the thick particles are removed. The ready clay is kept on wheel to make various forms. A potters wheel has short spokes, turns on a pivot of hard wood or metal and is provided with a large hub which acts as a revolving table, A vertical stick is inserted in the hole in the rim. The potter throws the kneaded clay into the centre of the wheel, and spins the wheel around with a stick. Due to the centrifugal force, the lump of clay is pulled outwards and upwards and shaped into a vessel. This is pulled out with a string, dried and fired in a potters kiln. Clay article after firing turns to terracotta. Gorakhpur pottery and forms have a bright red colour, which emerges with the application of Kabiz; a special kind of soil mixture of piari mitti (yellow earth) and sajji mitti (crude carbonate of soda). Kabiz available in a village near Gorakhpur is ground, dissolved and soaked in water for 24 hours. The clay articles are dipped in this kabiz solution, prior to firing. In the firing process, the yellow colours converts to bright red, on the clay surface. In Rampur district, an object is made on a potters wheel using a mixture of feldspar, edible gum, starch and clay. This is then painted with mineral colours, cobalt oxide for blue and copper oxide for green, in order of their hardness. The object is then fired to reveal the rich turquoise blue and pale green. Designs are either floral or geometric. In Amroha, design is traced on the vessel, with wax and the metallic leaf is pressed over it to make it adhere to the traced lines.
Design & Styles
In Gorakhpur, village dieties like Vaisno Devi, Baurat Devi, Deech Baba, Same Mai, Vyas Devi are made for worship on different religious occasions. Same Mai is used as a votive.
Common Materials Used
Piari mitti (yellow earth), sajji mitti (crude carbonate of soda clay), pakhari mitti (pond clay), mustard oil, red clay, edible gum, starch, feldspar, clay, wax. pakhari mitti (pond clay), ash, sand, cowdung
Popular Products
Surahi, plate, kalash(vessel for storing water), karahi, handi. containers for eatables, pots, trays, containers for storage of liquid; other items- toys, models of fruits and vegetables, animals & reptiles, plants & vegetation, gullak, hathi, flower vase, pots, figures of deities, animals.
