Kerala is not only a major market for horticulturists, florists and milk producers, but also for women potters. And they have successfully tapped it for the coming Karthigai Deepam season, besides meeting the growing demand in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
After bagging orders from handicrafts traders from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh for earthen lamps two months ago, the traditional women potters of Nochiodaipatti and Vedapatti in Dindigul district are busy. “We have started delivering the lamps. It will reach them four to five days before the festival,” said G. Vasuki, who heads a unit at Nochiodaipatti.
Clay lamps with small idols of Lord Vinayaka, Goddess Lakshmi or Goddess Durga, leaf-like lamps, bunch lamps and layered lamps are other attractions, besides the traditional ones used for the Deepam festival. The lamps come in different designs and sizes.
Sale of the traditional clay lamp picks up only during the Kaarthigai festival. However, innovation and creativity help them to churn out business throughout the year. The women potters make a special variety called ‘magic lamps’ that sell like hot cakes at tourist spots in Kerala all through the year.
Certain manufacturing process have been mechanised to meet the delivery deadline. With mechanisation, they have been able to increase production and expand their market throughout Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
“We supply lamps to all southern districts around Madurai and Tirunelveli and up to Villupuram in north Tamil Nadu,” Vasuki said.
Potters make 700 to 1,000 traditional clay lamps a day depending on the size.
“We train rural women periodically to enhance their skills. Enthusiasm and keenness to learn and six months of practice will equip them with the skills for lamp-making, said Gajendran, a senior potter.
“We need at least 15 to 20 bullock cart load of clay to make lamps. With a sharp increase in cost of raw material and labour, the profit margin per lamp has come down sharply. But we manage to maintain a good turnover through sale of decorative and big-sized lamps,” he added.
The potters appealed to the government to ensure easy availability of clay, the main raw material, as clay soil is available in rural tanks only.
