By Laxman Poudel, Bhairahawa, Nov. 13:  Diyo, traditional clay lamp, which is lit in second greatest Hindu festival Tihar, has been of little use nowadays as the electric lights have taken its place currently.

But, Nagendra Kumar and Santosh Kumar Prajapati from Chatrapur, Gaidahawa Rural Municiplaity-7, Rupandehi, has a dream to complete the house which has been unfinished for years by selling the diyos.

Elder brother, Santosh Kumar, is studying and helping his parents on agriculture, whilst, he takes out some time to make diyos as well.

Younger brother, Nagendra Kumar, is also doing bits from his side and helps his brother in this regard.

Currently studying in class 12, Santosh earned a decent amount by selling pottery in Deepawali last year from which he started to build a concrete house.

 Subsequently, both Prajapati brothers sold diyos worth three lakh rupees last year.

Schools has been closed since March due to COVID-19, so the Prajapati brothers took this opportunity to utilize the time in making diyos and they started it since June  They have stored diyos costing more than 3 lakh rupees to sell in this Tihar.

Last year, they took diyos to Butwal and sold off in the local market.

But, this year, they could not sell the diyos as expected owing to COVID-19. Still they are hopeful that the diyos might get sold till Saturday, as it is the day of Laxmi Puja, where people lighten their homes.

Santosh and Nagendra are not alone who sell clay lamps, majority of the people of Chatrapur Village make the clay diyos as it is their ancestral occupation.

However, the plastic and metal items have taken over the market of pottery. So, now, people have limited to making just clay diyos and flowerpot.

If someone orders for weddings and festivals, they make jugs, pots and pans.

Shree Ram Kohara has been earning his living by selling off the pottery pieces. He makes the clay items in his free time after farming and rearing animals and also makes a decent 2.5 lakhs income by selling pottery items.

Despite earning a decent income from pottery, locals say that they have to travel afar to get clay.

Kahara said, “The touch of the modern techniques in the ancestral skills of pottery making is a way to make even more money.”

Sandeep Gupta, a local, said that the youths could stay in the profession if they could reach the markets like Butwal, Bhairahawa and other clay items such as Matka/clay teapot, yogurt pot and ice cream pot are getting popularized.

The locals complain that the rural municipality has not done taken any effective steps to promote and modernize the traditional pottery making. Gupta added that they were not receiving any help from the rural municipality even though they tried to start an enterprise in the village.

Gupta said, “We have tried to develop the pottery profession as an industry. We also want to stop millions of rupees going to India every year for earthen lamps.”

Meanwhile, Bachchulal Kewat, Chairman at the Rural Municipality said that no assistance was provided as no help was sought from the pottery making community.