1. POKHRAN POTTERY A Design intervention workshop The objectives :
To maintain the traditional style of the craft,
which has a strong aesthetic language that is
typical of Pokhran pottery.
To enhance the products made by the potters
with contemporary applications of their craft in
terms of design & function.
-To conduct the design interaction with the
potters such that they would be able to continue
with the development of further variations of the
product types.
To work with the varied skill sets of different
potters in order to have a widespread interaction
with the many groups and create a variety of
product ranges.

2. Pokhran Pottery techniques

3. The main techniques focused on for
product development were :
- Throwing
Pinching
Slabbing
Cutwork
Embossing
Scraffito
Appliqué

4. Terracotta tables for outdoor furniture

5. Bird bath on stand with applied decoration

6. Modhas – Outdoor stools
The unusual strength of Pokhran clay makes
it an ideal material for durable outdoor/
garden/ terrace furniture which also uses the
traditional embossed & scraffito decoration
that is a signature of the ‘Pokhran’ style.
Modhas – Outdoor stools

7. Decorated pots cum Modhas

8. Modhas – Outdoor stools

9. Flowerpots & Planters
One of the most commonly made products in Terracotta
is the Flowerpot. Here, we developed a range of
flowerpots with large rims for stability, ease of handling
and as an eye catching decorative border which
keeps them within an affordable price range.

11. Bird bath

12. Planters and flowerpots with decorative edges

13. Wall hung Planters

14. Wall mounted Planters Wall mounted & hanging planters made using a
combination of throwing, slabbing & varied
decorative techniques.

15. Hanging planters in varied shapes

16. Cutwork fruitbowls Fruit bowls using the cutwork technique which,
in this product, serves the function of ventilation,
thereby keeping fruits fresh for a longer period of time,
as the gases emitted by them during ripening are
dissipated through the vents.

17. Fruit bowls

18. Fruit bowls Closed shapes that are cut into halves after the
throwing process to get two bowls from one
shape. Different surfaces and shapes may be
employed to generate a variety of design.

19. Cutwork terracotta Lamps combining bases & lampshades
Complete lamps combining the lamp base and shade in one material, thereby facilitating an ease of
in house manufacture for the potters. The use of the cutwork method makes terracotta a viable
material for the purpose of light dispersion.

20. Cutwork terracotta lamp with detachable shade

21. Cutwork Garuda Table lamp

22. Designed for holding a standard 40 – 60 watt bulb
The ‘Garuda’ is usually made by the Pokhran potters as a
decorative figurine or lidded jar. This design retains the form of
the Garuda but uses it in an entirely different product application.
Designed for holding a standard 40 – 60 watt bulb

23. Lampshades designed for holding a standard 40 – 60 watt bulb
Simple hanging lampshades for household bulbs.
Lampshades designed for holding a standard 40 – 60 watt bulb

24. The birds of Pokhran
There is a tremendous variety of bird figurines crafted in Pokhran. So far, they have mainly been
made as toys, bels or small hanging planters, which are quite labor intensive to make. The
exercise here was to raise the perceived value of these Pokhran clay birds by designing products
that make them more unusual as functional objects.

25. Wall hung Oil lamp

26. Oil lamp & Incense stick stand

27. Oil lamps

28. Bird votive

29. Bird Planters on stands

30. Bird Planters

31. Incense stands etc. Many of the younger potters make varieties
of toy animal figures, oil lamps and other
such smaller products.Working with their
level of skill, the objective was to come up
with a range of small gift items & household
objects such as, incense stands, oil lamps,
soap dishes, textured body scrubbers
and small bowls.

32. Soap dishes

33. Soap dishes

34. Diyas & Oil lamps

35. Wall hung oil lamp tiles

36. Decoratively textured body scrubbers

37. Decoratively textured body scrubbers

38. Varied shapes & sizes of pots

39. Water pitcher Creation of alternative forms for the traditional
matka , for use in urban homes, while using the
same principle of the cooling effect of a
terracotta vessel.

40. Water bottles

41. Large decorative bottles

42. Vases

44. The Pokhran story continues…