Women potters from Moga foray into terracotta jewellery territory

Faridkot, June 20

A group of talented women in Moga have breathed new life into an ancient craft that mirrors the timelessness of the earth itself-terracotta jewellery.

Echoing the rich cultural heritage of Punjab, this handcrafted jewellery fashioned from natural clay, stands as a testament to the extraordinary skill and boundless creativity of these women, said Kulwant Singh, Deputy Commissioner Moga, while releasing catalogues of products crafted by these women.

These women have learnt this new art of creating a diverse range of products-potters, terracotta, jewellery, flowerpots, bells and plates-under a joint project of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI and Grant Thornton Bharat, a leading professional services firm in the country).

This project was aimed to empower the artisans of Moga by providing them with the skills and resources needed to create exquisite jewellery. Expressing pride and admiration for the women who have embraced this opportunity with remarkable dedication and creativity, DC Moga said these women have shown extraordinary talent and perseverance.

“Their work not only showcases their artistic skills but also represents the spirit of self-reliance and empowerment that Project Care strives to instil,” he said. Fifty artisans are currently engaged in skill development and capacity building under Project Care of SIDBI. Among them, approximately 10 artisans have already achieved the status of master trainers, while the remaining are progressing towards this esteemed designation.

These artisans have received comprehensive training under the mentorship of seasoned experts in terracotta craftsmanship. Notable mentors include Hari Om, a master artisan from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh; Rajesh Jain, a distinguished faculty member from an institution in Rajasthan; Deepa Sonaji, a faculty member at the Central Village of Pottery Institute in Belgavi, Karnataka; Satosh Verma, a skilled instructor at UIFD, Panjab University and several colleges in Chandigarh; and Ajay Pal Singh, Senior Associate at DDUGKY in Jammu and Kashmir.

Through these training sessions, the artisans have significantly enhanced their skills. In addition to crafting traditional diyas, they now create a diverse range of products, including flowerpots, bells, plates, and notably, terracotta jewellery.

Manpreet Singh, a representative of Grant Thornton said that the products are being effectively marketed through social media platforms such as Instagram and Grant Thornton’s e-market platform, e-gram.