NUAPADA: Till two decades back, Maharajor’s identity on Nuapada map was of a village where migration for employment was a norm. Today, villagers are giving up migration to earn livelihood from their traditional craft - pottery. Albeit, by shifting to contemporary terracotta designs.
It took a pandemic, a helping hand from the state government and willingness of the villagers to bring about the shift. The village is home to 85 families and a majority of them are now dedicated towards transforming it into a hub of terracotta craftsmanship.
Located in Bhoden block, Maharajor is home to the Kumbhar or the potters’ community. As demand for traditional pottery declined, many had given up the profession. Migration became a necessity. It was only during the Covid-19 pandemic that many of these families returned home. With the pause came a new opportunity - to revisit and revive their own craft. This is when the Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts department stepped in.
“We were then conducting awareness camps to make people aware of various training programmes for handicrafts. The potters’ families that had returned approached us to know about ways to revive their traditional crafts and if any government schemes could help them do so,” recalled PR Sahu, assistant director of the department. The department decided to help them revive their craft and also, adapt it for today’s market.
Training began about two years back. Some of the villagers were provided loans to procure electric potters’ wheels, reducing physical effort and increasing productivity. The department facilitated regular soil supply and provided hand holding support in marketing their products. The villagers soon started experimenting with new and contemporary products and designs.
The range of items expanded from regular clay utensils to attractive home décor pieces. With improved designs and better finish, the products started reaching state-level exhibitions like the Toshali Fair in Bhubaneswar, giving artisans access to larger markets. To organise the potters, SHGs were formed and two of them - Maa Jayadurga and Maa Manikeswari - now include around 30 families working regularly on terracotta items. They have been actively selling their produces at fairs in different districts since last one year.
Jogeswar Rana, a former migrant worker, is one of the key figures in this journey. “Though pottery was our family legacy, we had to leave it behind to earn a living. Until a few years ago, we moulded clay in other states for others’ benefit. Now, we shape the same clay in our homes with dignity,” he said. Rana expressed interest in becoming a master-trainer and was trained further in Bhubaneswar. So far, he has trained over 45 women in the village.
Nuapada collector Madhusudan Das, who has led the district’s push to reduce labour migration, called Maharajor a promising model. “This village has shown how targeted skill development, backed by consistent support, can reduce dependency on migration and restore local livelihoods,” he said.
Inspired by Maharajor’s progress, villagers from other parts of Boden, as well as Sinapali and Khariar blocks, have shown interest in learning pottery.
Some of them will receive training in the next few months. For now, families in Maharajor are earning steadily, staying closer to home, and finding value in the work that once seemed unviable. The quiet hum of potter’s wheels has replaced the silence left by migration.