Traditional pottery making classes in full swing at Lok Virsa

ISLAMABAD: A week-long "traditional pottery making" classes for children of age 7 to 14 years is in full swing at Lok Virsa, Heritage Museum Shakarparian here.

The classes have been arranged by Lok Virsa in collaboration with Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) under its ongoing Craft of the Month program series.

Executive Director Lok Virsa Dr. Fouzia Saeed told APP that it is very important for our new generation to continue the legacy of our traditional skills.

She said that the program aimed at promoting indigenous folk crafts, reviving dying traditional skills and inculcating knowledge among the younger generation, particularly children about the rich craft heritage of Pakistan.

She said the master artisans in pottery making (including blue pottery) from different parts of the country demonstrating their skills and teach craft making techniques to children for a week daily from 10 am to 5 pm at Lok Virsa Heritage Museum.

Pottery making- production of hand-made clay vessels and other objects- involves knowledge about the preparation of materials, the use of tools, design and decorational
skills, and the firing of products. Traditional production techniques and forms of products are thus preserved.

Pottery is a very big part of our culture. Pottery is the traditional art and a source of earning living for potters (Kumhar).

The making of pots with clay is a very artistic and tough work which a common man cannot perform. These pots are abundantly used in the villages.

Pottery ware is available in a number of sizes, shapes, designs and also for different purposes.

The variety of these artistic pots includes goblets, Picky banks or coin banks, pots for fetching water and vases etc.

On some of the pottery they use glazing which make them more attractive and demanding.

Although it is a very tough, time consuming work but they are usually sell in low prices. In few decades back, there were a very high demand for these pots but modernization and different variety of utensils kicked the potters out of business.

The week-long pottery-making classes would continue till October 9.