BHUBANESWAR: No where in the world, terracotta plays an integral part in any temple as it does in the Jagannath temple at Puri where hundreds of earthen wares are used in different sevas and for cooking and serving Mahaprasad every day.
A new book by former bureaucrat Raja Parija - Earthen Affairs - offers an insight into this temple tradition and different other aspects of the ancient terracotta craft which continues to remain an inseparable part of Odisha’s cultural heritage.
The book explores the evolving tradition of terracotta craft, carried out by the Kumbhara community, and also highlights the status of terracotta clusters and the economy of the craft. It looks into some of the famous craft clusters that have earned a name in the field of finest terracotta products across the globe. Parija, during his stint, as the chief nodal officer of the Craft Museum project, had interactions with some of the master craftsmen of Kumbhar community which subsequently, inspired him to document the craft.