The lone potter upholding the art of pottery in Gorkha

Many people across the country dream of owning a house and settling in Kathmandu Valley. But Tari Bahadur Prajapati is different. He made a bold choice by selling his ancestral property, including his land and house in Thimi, Bhaktapur, and relocating to Gorkha 28 years ago. 

Prajapati rented a piece of land at Chorkate village in Siranchowk Rural Municipality-4, Gorkha, built a pottery workshop, and started crafting clay products. Chorkate has long been inhabited by the Kumal community, with a rich heritage in the art of pottery. Over the past three decades, Prajapti has gained recognition in the village as the ‘Newari Kumal’.

The Kumal community primarily practiced pottery in areas such as Kundurtar and Adhaigaun in Gorkha. Initially, Prajpati encountered challenges in competing with the local potters. However, owing to the high demand for clay products during that period, he swiftly established his business foothold.

Very soon plastic, rubber, aluminum and iron products started inundating the market, placing the traditional potters, who had honed their craft over centuries, in a precarious position, and Prajapati was no exception. While many Kumal artisans reluctantly abandoned their ancestral profession, Prajapati remained resolute. Today, he remains the sole practitioner of his craft, not just in his village but the entire Gorkha district.

At the age of 65, Prajapati finds no interest in pursuing alternate professions. “I have a dedicated customer base, and this business adequately sustains my livelihood. Why should I shift to another profession?” says Prajapati. His two sons, however, have embraced different paths, one is a metal worker and other an electrician. 

Prajapati’s clay products reach different markets across Gorkha. Some of his popular products include clay lamps, pots, vases, and piggy banks. Notably, the demand for clay pots for roasting corn and earthen vessels, cherished for their cooling properties, has been on the rise.

Prajapati hasn’t faced any problem in sourcing clay for his craft as there are no other people involved in the profession. He brings clay from a quarry in Ludikhola once a year. Prajpati has replaced the manual pottery wheel with a motor-powered wheel. Additionally, he has invested in a clay-mixing machine to streamline his production process.

He believes that the government’s support and cooperation could encourage more people to become involved  in the pottery profession. “Government support could reinvigorate and ensure the continuity of age-old professions like pottery for generations to come,” he says. But so far, this lone potter in Gorkha has not received any help.