Today, in Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, the first phase of the pottery workshop for making a new exhibition on pottery commenced with ritualistic activities by the members of the potter community of Manipur and Assam.
In the first phase Twenty five artists from Assam and Manipur are participating in this 20 days long camp. The artists from Majuli, Assam carried out ‘Ground breaking ceremony’ with traditional rituals of the region. Besides, Manipuri artisans performed a ritual ‘Thounijaba’, a ceremony of offering seasonal fruits to seeking blessings from deities prior to any important work. On this occasion, Director, IGRMS was present along with all IGRMS officials and huge number of visitors.
Pottery is practiced both in hills and valley of Manipur. Pottery in Manipur valley is an important craft tradition of the women and this skill is believed to have been bestowed upon by the goddess Shinu leima among the Meitei community. Pot as an indispensable item of domestic need has many significant function in the sphere of social and religious life of the people of Manipur.
It is a general saying that either the person is rich or poor; one cannot deny that his birth celebrates with pot and ends with pot.
The handmade pottery of the Salmora village in Majuli Island (largest river island in the world) of Assam has unique craftsmanship of pottery mostly specialised by women which embodies discrete social belief and practices.
The role of especially in terms of marketing and economic transaction of these beautiful pots is immense and they exhibit greater skill of transporting their products through local boats may be traced to be an excellent example of traditional wisdom. This upcoming exhibition is aimed with the holistic presentation of showcasing the life, culture and people of the Indian Potters.