Pottery Industry in Nandan Nagar Village of Tripura: A Case Study

Abstract

The study is based on 80 potter families of Nandan Nagar village, Tripura to understand their socioeconomic status.Pottery is an age old handicrafts in India and an employment creator. However, these days pottery has been losing its relevance. Therefore objective was to investigate whether the potters of Nandan Nagar write a different story. We based on primary and secondary data both. We did literature review. Over 40 Lakh potters in India work on the conventional pottery wheels. It plays a vital role in country’s total GDP and in generating foreign revenue although the Government initiatives could do very little. This profession has helped creation of rural and women entrepreneurs. It has contributed to the socioeconomic advancement to these people though in many cases pottery is no more their main profession.Also younger generations of the potter families are not keen to this profession. To improve the condition of the potters need is toidentifyand address various gaps like obsolete tools, inappropriate technology etc.We find lives of many potters are just as fragile as the pots they carve. With their ancestral connections they practice this crafts with a hope of better days.The silver lining is that the difficulties narrated by the potters seem not insurmountable.