While most people look forward to celebrating Diwali, the potters too look forward to this festival as it marks a considerable rise in their business. However, the rising prices of clay and the fact that its sale is not regularised, are proving detrimental to the business of potters in Dehradun who face a stiff competition from earthen products manufactured outside the State.
Interestingly, though electric and fancy lights have grown in popularity, local potters state that their earthen lamps and other items are also in demand. According to the potters in Kumhar Mandi here, it’s getting difficult for them to survive due to the rise in prices of most commodities. Vijay Kumar the oldest potter in Kumhar Mandi said that he has been making earthen lamps for more than 50 years and as compared to the past, the price of raw material is rising consistently.
“last year the price of one trolley clay from the riverbed used to cost Rs500-1,000. However, now the same quantity costs between Rs3,000 to Rs4,000. It is also not easy to procure clay as the Government has prohibited quarrying for clay. So many potters here have started purchasing raw products from Saharanpur in stead of making the entire product here because of the lesser profit. Now many potters here simply colour and give finishing touches to the products they buy from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Kumar added that he and many other potters are continuing their trade mainly because they want to continue their family tradition though their own children are not interested in working as potters.
Most of the potters here sell their products in bulk for lesser profit and the same products are sold by the shopkeepers at a good margin. According to the local potters, Diwali is the season for business but at the same time rising rates of trade fairs in the town are affecting their business.
Potters from different States participate in trade fairs to the detriment of local potters.
Many people shop for the festival at such events which affects the business of local potters. A local shopkeeper near the Kumhar Mandi, Jeet lal said that the sale of clay items especially during Diwali has increased compared to past years. However, this business is more profitable for the shopkeepers and not for the potters, he admitted.