Final task of pottery works ahead of Baishakhi Fair in Srinagar
Khan Sujon, Srinagar (Munshiganj)
At the Pal households of Srinagar in Munshiganj, a flurry of pottery work is underway ahead of the upcoming Baishakhi Fair.
Pohela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, is a widely celebrated folk festival among Bengalis. With just seven days to go (April 14, Monday), the festive spirit of the Boishakhi fair is already in the air.
In preparation for the traditional village fair and the sale of clay items, potters in Pal households of Tantar, Solghor, Baghra, and Hasara areas are busy finishing various clay toys, utensils like pots and pans, and other earthenware items. The final stages include sun-drying, firing in kilns, and painting with brushes.
Around 150 families in the region engaged in pottery are working to uphold this ancestral craft. A visit to Tantar’s Pal neighborhood revealed numerous clay items being prepared — including miniature elephants, cows, horses, ducks, chickens, dolls, and fruit-shaped piggy banks for children, along with household utensils. With skilled brush strokes, these clay creations are brought to life. Once dried, the items are packed in polythene for sale.
Elderly potters are assisted by younger family members in this effort. These clay toys are being sold wholesale at prices ranging from Tk 5 to Tk 100. Retailers purchase them from local potters to sell at the upcoming Boishakhi fairs.
Santu Pal (66) of Tantar shared, “For the first two years of the COVID period, there were no Boishakhi fairs due to restrictions. Despite many challenges, we’ve tried to hold on to this traditional craft. But due to the dominance of plastic, ceramic, and steel products in modern times, earthen items are slowly disappearing.” He added that around 4,000 clay toys have been made this year for wholesale. The production will continue throughout the month of Boishakh.
Shova Rani Pal (50), Samir Pal (55), and Jadap Pal (45) from Solghor mentioned that they work year-round, producing small batches of clay toys in preparation for the fair season.
