Adilabad ranjans turn user-friendly

Adilabad ranjan with a tap 

With the changing times, the traditional Adilabad ranjans (cylindrical pots) are also undergoing a change to meet the needs of the people. Adilabad ranjans with taps are popular this summer and are being sold each for Rs 150.

Pot makers of Adilabad have brought in some changes in their traditional ranjans by fixing taps for the convenience of the users. Adilabad ranjans with taps are being sold like hot cakes as temperatures are soaring.

The ranjans with taps are convenient to even children to tap the water unlike traditional ranjans. Jugs or glasses used to fetch water from traditional ranjans.

Adilabad ranjans had brand value due to their cooling power when compared to other ranjans manufactured in other places. Taking the advantage of their brand image, others too tag Adilabad ranjan to their manufactured ranjans.

Adilabad ranjans had unique with the use of special ingredients like soft black soil, hoarse dung in manufacturing.

It is common that RTC drivers and conductors who come to Adilabad town as part of their duty take Adilabad ranjans to their native places and most of the times on the requests of relatives and friends.

Kummari thanda and Lakkaram villages in Utnoor mandal is also famous for manufacturing ranjans in the district.

Traditional pot makers settled in Kolipura, Kummariwada colonies in Adilabad town still make pots, diyas (earthen lamps), ranjans, Garba pots and marriage related kuradu kundalu (pots).       

However, the number of persons in traditional pot making is getting decreased every year as the new generations taking up new jobs and imparting education to their children instead depending on their traditional occupation pot making.

Kannaram Ramulu of Kumarpet colony in Adilabad town said that there was good demand for ranjans with taps when compared to traditional ranjans without tap and added that thy too adopted new methods to meet the new demands and sustain in the market.  

Wheel is spinning with pots and diyas

Potters have just started their work for approaching festivals by making specially designed pots called ‘Garba’ to be used in playing Garba dance by the Gujarati women in Adilabad of Telangana during Durgadevi Navarathrulu next month. The potters continue their work of making earthen lamps for Diwali.  

There is considerable number of migrated Gujarati families settled in the Adilabad town and they celebrate Garba during Durgadevi Navarathrulu.

Gujarati women perform traditional puajs to the Garba pots considering them as sacred and Garba dance around the Garba pots kept in the centre.  It is done for the nine days after which the Garba pot is immersed in river.

Kannam Ramulu of Kumarpet colony in Adilabad was busy in making Garba pots on order for Gujarati women. The pot makers start work with the Garba pots which are called ghatams locally and continue with making earthen lamps (diyas) for Diwali.

He said his forefather and father did the same work for generations but the legacy will soon come to an end. His sons and other family members are taking up other occupations.  

Ramulu said specially designed Garba pots have a Swastik and Om etched on them and painted in specific colors of red and green and added that he has been making earthen items on order for different occasions for the last 25 years’. Ramulu said he will make 10,000 earthen lamps for Diwali this year’.

  

Ramulu’s wife Posani regretted over dwindling demand for earthen pots and gurigi (small size pots) as women prefer plastic and steel items to give as gift (Vainam) during special occasions like ‘Nomulu’ or ‘Vrathalu’. Also they were facing shortage of black soil due to urbanization and forced to purchase a tractor black soil for Rs 2,000.

Shanthabai Jaiswal, 86, neighbor of the Ramulu observed that it was difficult for the potters (Kummari) community people to survive just by making pots and its related work as it brings very little money.

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