Personal

Dharavi

Personal

Dharavi

Kumbharwada in Dharavi (Mumbai, India) is an establishment of potters almost 100 years old. It is the largest community of potters in Mumbai. The potters origionally come from Saurashtra, Gujarat state of India. ‘Khumbars’ means potter and ‘Wada’ means colony. Hence the name Kumbharwada – colony of potters. It occupies 22 acres of land that houses around 1400-1500 families, 700–800 of whom still practice pottery today. They still make use of traditional methods of pottery. They use indigenous red and grey clay and bake the moulds in traditional kilns. They use waste forms and sheets of cardboards to light up the kilns. These clay products have simple designs and come in various shapes and sizes. Usually they make earthen pots, bowls and flower vases. The dramatic light owing through the smoke from the furnace, varied shapes and form along with the beautiful people residing in it making a leaving by this art have always amazed me.
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