Jaipur blue pottery: The no-clay craft of Jaipur that survived centuries

The history of Jaipur blue pottery dates back to the time when it was crafted by Mongolian craftsmen and had Persian influences before coming to India in the 14th century. The unique cobalt blue glazing and design work in it have earned it a Geographical Indication (GI) status in India. It is not like conventional pottery and is crafted without the use of clay.

Jaipur blue pottery: From royal courts to a revived artisan tradition

Jaipur blue pottery is born from the blend of Chinese methods of glazing and Persian decorative art created by Mongol craftsmen. Before coming to India, blue pottery had a limited scope of application in Central Asia. It was mostly used for decoration of royal palaces, mosques and tombs. In India, the art had a new purpose as craftsmen started making pottery objects using the potter’s wheel.

It is said that King Ram Singh II of Jaipur played a significant part in bringing this art to Jaipur. In a kite flying contest, he witnessed two brothers from Achnera outplay the king’s own kite flyers. The two were potters, and they had covered their kite strings with the same blue-green glass that they used for making pottery. After getting impressed by their skill, he asked them to come to Jaipur and teach their craft in his school of arts and crafts.

Examples of Jaipur blue pottery can be seen through decorative tiles at Rambagh Palace even today. But unfortunately, the art became less popular with passing time, and the exact cause of the decline is still debatable among historians.

The making of Jaipur blue pottery

The process involved in making it is quite elaborate and requires about 15 to 20 days. The dough is made from crushed glass, powdered quartz, Fuller's earth, borax, gum, sodium bicarbonate, and water. The above mixture substitutes for clay and is flattened out in the form of a pancake through a wooden implement known as pai.

The dough is moulded, trimmed, and filled with ashes to avoid deformation. The ashes are stripped off after the moulding process, followed by polishing of the surface using sandpaper. A coating of white paint, which is made up of flour, quartz, and glass, is applied before the designing stage.

The craftsmen design the patterns through cobalt oxide along with gum and paint them with the help of fine squirrel hair brushes. The objects are glazed and then fired in coal- or wood-burning kilns.

Colours, designs, and features

This traditional craft uses the colour blue as the distinctive one and is made by using cobalt oxide. The green colour is made through the use of copper oxide. Colours such as white, yellow, and brown can also be found in the art pieces at times. Traditionally, artists use floral, animal, and bird themes

Items crafted in Jaipur blue pottery are vases, tiles, beads, plates, coasters, bowls, and ornaments. Since this form of art needs patience and skill along with a lot of manual labour, buying these products will ensure that this rich heritage is maintained. The potters of Jaipur have been able to maintain this art for centuries.

However, despite the royal patronage, the craft nearly died out since the techniques were kept secret by the master potters. This changed in the 1950s with the efforts of mural painter Kripa Singh Shekhawat and the help from HRH Gayatri Devi, Queen Mother of Jaipur.

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