Udupi: Kulala Sangh, one of the oldest communities in Karnataka, is known for infusing life into clays and spin magic in the pottery wheels, create and connect with the mother earth. Since decades, the community has been practising this art and has made a significant position in society with their pottery skills.
Continuing their legacy, the Kulala, also known as Kumbara community, has once again come forward to make help achieve the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Atamnirbhar Bharat'. PM Modi had made a clarion call to use Swadeshi materials and take a step for 'VocalforLocal'. To make India self-reliant, Kulala Sangh has opened a showroom of earthen pots to promote Indian culture, values and tradition.
Since a major hub of the community resides in Udupi, south Karnataka and Kasargod, the community has made a collective effort to sell clay pots and daily usage products made of clay. Various unique antiques, pieces of art and sculpture are made by the potters to make people inclined towards the ancient lifestyle. From coffee mugs to idols of God, the potters carve artefacts which is also sold to people from other various states.
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As temperature soars, the demand for chilled water is also on the rise. Despite the availability of refrigerators, city residents prefer having a natural and healthy cooling system. With people from the coastal region preferring earthen pots over fridges, the sale of pots in the areas has seen a surge. Pots are used as containers for storing water, small-sized utensils are used for serving few dishes and curds for customers in hotels. Also, shiny earthen pots with designs are used as decorative items in homes and offices. To make it more attractive, the potters also add features like tap facility, artistic designs, variation in size and easy to use lid.
The members of the community sell more than 100 varieties of projects with the belief that the dream of 'Atamnirbhar Bharat' can be turned into a reality if small industries come together. There has been a massive rise in the demand for clay pots and even people from cities come to buy these products.
