| As long as Indians live in villages, any industry that
plays an important part in the economic life of villages
deserves our utmost consideration. Pottery industry is one
of these industries and from very ancient times until present
day, the potter has been contributing considerably to the
maintenance of the economic structure of our villages.
Uodoubtedly, he had been working mostly with red clays,
producing wares hardly of any commercial and artistic value,
or grotesque toys and other play things for children, which
in olden times were quite sufficient to meet the simple needs
and requirements of our country folk. But recently the
villagers have also started purchasing cheap crockery and
other goods made from white clay, done and finished in
western style. The potter is losing his trade with the result
that his number has been rapidly dwindling. In the Punjab,
the number of working potters and their dependents in 1911,
was 2,40,000 while in 1931 it was 1,30,000 and it is feared
that 1940-41 census will record a still greater decrease. If
this rate of fall is left unchecked, it is likely that the village
pottery may be wiped out -of existence in another two
decades or so. In the present state of our industrial
development it might be difficult to find another industrial
profession for men thus thrown out of their hereditary
occupation. This aspect of the question had been engaging
the attention of the Punjab Government since last few years
and a pottery committee was constituted under the auspices
of the Punjab Government Board with Mr. M.G. Bhagat
(now of Bengal Potteries Ltd.) as its President. Its terms
of reference were :- |
