Hyderabad turns into a paradise for pottery lovers, art connoisseurs

From glazed vases, pots, and kitchenware to show pieces, jewellery, and home décor items, the two-day event, which began on Saturday, showcases the handcrafted ceramic works of some over 42 potters across the world

Hyderabad: Vibrant, warm, autumnal hues, clay pots dotting the stalls, and the aromas of handmade and glazed earthenware — one can’t help but marvel at the timeless craft of pottery, as the city hosts its second ‘potters market’ at Saptaparni, Banjara Hills.

From glazed vases, pots, and kitchenware to show pieces, jewellery, and home décor items, the two-day event, which began on Saturday, showcases the handcrafted ceramic works of some over 42 potters across the world.

Manpreeth Singh Nishter, a city-based potter and the founder of MSN Studio in Kokapet, believes in sustainability, which is fairly apparent in his work. His art is inspired by nature — animals, flowers, and leaves — and is crafted from discarded materials. “For the past 30 years, I have avoided using plastic and practised sustainable living. Whatever other wastes generated — waste papers, upcycled wine bottles, grey water, and others — I use them in my art,” he says.

Pralayankita Sharma and Veena Singh, the student-teacher duo from Bhopal, exhibit individual artworks. While the latter’s motifs were subtly inspired by erotica, Pralayantika’s work featured warm tones of beige-whites, sea-greens, and yellows on her vases and decorative items, along with quirky captions.

Pralayankita added, “These kinds of platforms allow us to engage with potters from across the country. We have already been captivated by the city’s liveliness and hope we could visit frequently.”

A retired city-based software designer, the 68-year-old Hemani Patekar says she has always looked forward to working on something unique and creative. Her work titled ‘Jungle Jingles’, as the name suggests, depicts tales from the forest.

There are also a few other Hyderabadis like Annam Vaishnavi, popularly called as ‘Mattipilla’, who creates hard-rock clay pots inspired by the hilly areas in the city. Aakanksha Makhjia’s works typically have delicate floral borders while Avni, who had previously been a Bharatnatyam dancer, along with her husband Ashish started practising pottery two years ago. The couple has got trained via YouTube.

Vilasini Reddy, the event’s organiser and one of the founding members of the Indian Ceramic Art Foundation (ICAF), stated, “The objective is to raise awareness and interest in the craft while also bringing the unique products of the potters’ community to a wider audience.”

The event is open from 11 am to 6 pm and will conclude on Sunday evening.