SHRISTI POTTERY (LIKA MKTG. PVT. LTD.)

Out here at Survey No. 45, Plot No. 551, things are a lot quieter than they are in the city. We’re located right opposite Manas Lake in Bhugaon, and the view is honestly one of the best parts of working here. SHRISTI POTTERY is where we spend our days covered in clay and dust. It’s a messy business, and no matter how much we clean, there’s always a layer of fine grit on the windows. We work with the kilns and the wheels, making things from scratch. It’s a slow process because you have to wait for the earth to dry and the fire to do its job. We’ve got a small crew who actually enjoys the physical work of it all. It’s not a high-tech operation. We rely on our hands and our eyes to get the shapes right. Sometimes the weather affects how the clay behaves, which can be frustrating, but we’ve learned to just go with it. When the breeze comes off the lake, it makes the heat from the pottery ovens a bit more bearable. We don't have any polished sales pitches. If you come by, you’ll just see us working in our aprons, probably with mud up to our elbows. We make things that are meant to be used, and we’re happy to keep this old-fashioned trade alive in our little corner of Bhugaon. It is hard work on the back, but seeing the finished pots makes it feel right.