What is the best way in which to ensure that water or juice stays cool while travelling? Keeping them in a portable freezer or with ice cubes? Or buying a chilled mineral water bottle from roadside shops?
For some folks, carrying a mini car freezer was the main option to beat the summer heat on the road. Though they have vehicles with air-conditioning systems, the ACs are not very helpful in keeping liquids in plastic bottles cool for a long time.
Now, potters at Ramanagaram have found a novel way to keep beverages chilled, even in non-AC vehicles. They have started making bottles of clay. In the past couple of weeks, they have sold hundreds of such 1 litre bottles. They have also started making jugs, tumblers and pots with aesthetic designs.
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People prefer keeping clay-made water bottles in cars, says Anasuya Bai, a pottery expert. She sells water-bottles with lids and pots at ‘Janapada Loka’ on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. The price ranges from Rs. 75 to Rs. 100, based on size and the storage capacity. Her bottles have been bought by hundreds of families in Ooty, Salem, Manandawadi, Sultan Batheri, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Hosur, Krishnagiri, Chittur and other towns, said Rudresh, a folklore enthusiast who frequently visits the Janapada Loka.
The Janapada Loka, a picnic spot, is surrounded by several hotels. Over 2,000 vehicles stop at these hotels every day. Similar mud articles are also available at various road-side shops along the highway.
Craftsmen at Ramanagaram are well-known for their experiments with clay. They also make tumblers, small pots and water-jars with clay to keep water, juice, butter-milk and even alcohol cold. A good number of potters are still making traditional pots in Bevuru, Madike Bevuru, Kudike Bevuru and other places in Ramanagaram district. They receive bulk orders from sellers in Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu.
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