Handmade in India

Banjara women at work at the Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra in Sandur
Subclusters of
BELLARY
Bellary district:
Bellary
Sandur
Hampi
Davangere district:
Davangere
Raichur district:
Raichur, Potnal
Koppal district:
Koppal
Chitradurga
district:
Chitradurga
Crafts of
BELLARY
Terracotta and
pottery
Banjara embroidery
Sheet metal
embossing
RESOURCES
Craft Raw Materials Sources
Terracotta and
pottery
Banjara
embroidery
Clay
`Omand matthi`
for glaze, Soil
Fabric
Sandur
Kumaraswamy Hills
Hubli, Dharwad, Ilkal,
Guledgad
Potter at Kumbhar Galli giving shape to the surface of the pot.
Dancing figure, carved stone pillar of the Vitthala Temple,
Hampi.
Artisan stringing cla beads to make jewellery in Raichur. She is
wearing a traditional handwoven Ilkal sari.
Although Bellary is of medieval origin, the area has been
inhabited since about 3000 BC. Bellary is situated on the
eastern side of Karnataka. It is bounded by districts of
Raichur on the north, Dharwad on the west, Chitradurga and
Davangere in the South, and those of Anantpur and Kurnool
in Andhra Pradesh to the east. The important rivers are
Tungabhadra, Hageri and Chikkahagari. The region gained
significance during the Satavahana, Kadamba, Chalukyas of
Kalyani, Kalachuri, Sevuna and Hoysala periods. Hampi the
14th century capital city of the Vijayanagara reign
successfully united a region of many different languages and
established, and benefited from vigorous international trade.
At its peak, it also sponsored brilliant achievements in
literature and the arts. Culturally rich, Bellary is known for
temple related crafts such as stone carving and metal
embossing. Chitradurga has a formidable fort also called the
Fort of Seven Rounds (walls) that was built during the
Vijayanagara empire on a rocky terrain with bouders. The
weavers of Molakalumuru, a town in Chitradurga district,
known for producing silk saris, are facing competition from
the powerloom industry.
ACCESS
Bellary has an airport and railhead and is linked by road to
Chitradurga 130 km, Davangere 165 km, Koppal 75 km and
Bangalore 300 km. Raichur has a railhead and can be
reached by road to Kurnool 100 in Andhra Pradesh
TERRACOTTA AND POTTERY
Production Clusters
Bellary district:
Sandur
Raichur district:
Potnal
Products
Harvi - medium sized
pots
Padga - small pot
Kundli - flower pots
Wole - cooking stove
Hundi - saving box
Sandur has a large community of potters occupying the north
eastern limits of the town. They have the Medar community of
cane and bamboo workers as their neighbours. There are three
basic techniquest used by the Sandur potters for shaping the
clay into products such as throwing and beating. While all
wheel thrown pottery is exclusively handled by men, women
make their cooking stoves and other small containers. Women
also make small containers for keeping oil, small and large
plates. While all the cooking and water pots, stoves and plates
are fired only by a reduction firing which gives black ware,
flower pots are fired separately in the oxidation firing. In Potnal
near Manvi taluk in Raichur district, is a considerably
Stages in the preparation of terracotta beads. A bead fired
without coating; black colour through reduction firing; bead
coated with clay slip and fired.
big production for pottery where Dalit women are involved in
making terracotta jewellery, with innovative bead designs.
Beads and pendants are formed by hand, impressed with
designs, fired and strung into a necklace or earrlings.
Unstrung terracotta beads made in Bagalkot are similar to those
made in Potnal, Raichur.
Pots and stoves left to dry before firing, Sandur.