• Gour Sarkar
• Ajoy Sarkar

Pottery is one of the most ancient and popular forms of Indian village craft. The potters usually live at village areas. As pottery includes small and cottage industries, it provides a very low income and it is very hard to fulfill the everyday needs of a family with that small income source. Nowadays as the pottery industry has improved itself a lot, the demand for earthen products is increasing in our country. It has given a means of livelihood to rural people. Involving themselves into such an industry the potters are being benefited from social, cultural, and economic sides. A huge number of potters do live in the district Uttar Dinajpur of West Bengal, so the pottery industry of the district is well developed in comparison to the other districts. The potters live in different villages of Raiganj block – Kanchanpalli, Subhasganj, Maraikur and Kasba Mahosa, etc. Potters and the pottery industry are present in Kasba Mahosa (Mirual), Kanchanpalli, Subhasganj, Palpara Debinagar, and Maraikura village. More than 20 families are doing this job here as a potter. Potters are facing the problems of raw materials especially mud soil and clay soil due to climate crisis and the mati-mafias. And the price of the soil has increased due to this middle man. The age-old potters are doing their pottery works till now but the young generations are not interested to do it in the future. Recently the women of the pottery industries are enjoying the Lakhsmir Bhandar policy of the West Bengal Government and it is helpful for their business because women can invest this money in their business. During the last two years (2020-2021), economically potters are affected adversely due to the corona covid-19 pandemic situation. Women are enjoyed proper rights in the family and participate in the works of pottery activities. Potters are dependent on seasonal business because they earn money after constructing the idols which are connected to worshipping. Mud-made items are perishable so the chance of losses is huge here. Recently potters are improving their economy due to increasing the aesthetic environmental sense of modern people. Because nowadays the earthen pots are used for indoor plantations and lots of marriage ceremonies are following no-plastic vision. The rice-ceremony, birthday party, and the marriage anniversaries of the town are accepting the earthen plates, cups, glasses, bowls, etc. on their occasions. Recently due to the improvement of online business and the amazon parcel sending facility the earthen materials are transported long distances. In this way, economic improvement is happening for the potters. The potters are conscious about education and that’s why their children are going to school properly.

Lakhsmir Bhandar, amazon parcel.

"Issues of Pottery Industries of Raiganj Block: A Study", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 1, page no.f409-f416, January-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2201560.pdf

"Issues of Pottery Industries of Raiganj Block: A Study", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 1, page no. ppf409-f416, January-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2201560.pdf