Blue Pottery of Jaipur

Jaipur is indeed a city of wonders as it is the land of the royal Rajputs and there are ample of monuments and architectures to be discovered here. But apart from just tourism shopping is the things for which more than half of the tourists visit Jaipur and the main attraction of the city is the traditional handicrafts of Rajasthan which is popular to city by city and they all are equally popular and the tourist can buy them according to their choice. It is very common that the state of Rajasthan is already known for its handicrafts and many other art works which are popular and when we talk of Jaipur them there are many things which are quite famous in the city and among them the Jaipuri Leheriya sarees, Jaipur quilts and especially the ‘Blue Pottery’ which are distinct and known as one of the most popular and traditional art of Jaipur.

The Art of Jaipur’s Blue Pottery

The Blue Pottery of Jaipur is literally famous in the whole nation and even in the world too. The artwork is called as blue pottery because the potteries are blue in color which is done with blue dye colors and they are combined with eye catching golden and silver designs and the style of art is actually derived from the Turko-Persian style.The blue color which is used to color the potteries is actually a color which is made by an Egyptian technique using the Indian raw materials such as Multani MItti or Fuller’s Earth borax, Katira Gond or a kind of gum , normal gum, saaji which is the local name for sodium bicarbonate and water. Besides the coloring the potteries are made up of a frit material which is an Egyptian faience which is done under low fire and followed by glazing it as there is no clay is used to make these potteries. To make the dough for the potteries quartz stone powder and powdered glass is used instead of normal clay.  There are many other colors such as cobalt blue, green, yellow and brown also added shifting from the blue monochrome and they are made with copper oxide, cobalt oxide and many others are also used to make some other non-conventional colors.

The blue pottery of Jaipur can be recognized easily at any local market and no one can get them away by seeing its beautiful motifs which are done in blue and golden colors and they are seen more in birds and animal motifs such as horses and camels. These potteries can be bought in many forms such as flower vases, ashtrays, jars, cups, tea sets, small bowls, crockeries and many others. But they are fragile and should be really handled delicately.

The history behind Blue Pottery

Besides the Turkish people adopted this form of art in the 14th century was very first developed by the Mongol artists and then it was shifted to the Chinese who inspired from the Persians as it was used in various kinds of construction and art works on the mosques, palaces and tombs in the various parts of Central Asia. When it came to India with the Mughals they started using it in the various architecture and later on it was introduced to Delhi and them shifted to Jaipur artisans in the 17th century.

The craft became popular and was became the exclusive art of Jaipur since the early era of 19th century under the reign of Sawai Ram Singh. The various ancient and the very first ceramic work of blue pottery can be seen in the museum of Rambagh Palace. And the blue pottery has become of the common livelihood of the local artisans of Jaipur.

Craftsmen of Blue Pottery in Jaipur

According to the craftsmen, blue pottery is being practiced by 25 – 30 units in and around Jaipur. Ten to eleven units are from the village Kot Jebar 1 and the rest of them are from the main city of Jaipur. Formerly there were more producers but since it is a time ‐ consuming and tedious craft, the producers have shifted to other means of livelihood. The craft is mainly practiced by the Khaarwaal, Kumbhars, Bahairva and Nat castes. Among these, the Khaarwal and Khumbars are the prime producers of blue pottery.

Changes in Recent Years

The craft has undergone changes in the composition of raw materials, its processing and patterns of designing as well as the use of the product. Initially, the glaze coating used to have lead in its composition which, according to the craftsmen, used to give better results. Today, the craftsmen use lead ‐ free glaze for coating the articles.

Also, the blue pottery items were initially done with floral or geometric designs. Today, the customers prefer fabric or abstract designs. As such, the dense, intricate designs are now under transition toward simple and straight fabric designs. Besides the composition and design patterns, there has been a major change in the usage. The articles which were initially used only as decorative items are now also used as functional ones. They are used as kitchen crockery, toothpaste and pen stands, etc. The reason behind this is the removal of lead from the glaze of blue pottery. Since lead is harmful for health, the articles could not be used as kitchenware. With the advent of lead ‐ free articles, its use has spread to various new areas.

Where to Buy Blue Pottery in Jaipur ?

There are number of Shops and Center where you can buy the famous blue pottery in Jaipur City. Following are some of the best places to buy blue pottery.

Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Centre
Hardware Store
Jaipur, Rajasthan
0141 263 5375
Open until 8:00 PM

Shiv Kripa Blue Pottery
Manufacturer
Jaipur, Rajasthan
099289 43322
Open until 8:00 PM

Neerja International Inc
Manufacturer
Jaipur, Rajasthan
098290 52646
Open until 5:00 PM

Neerja International Inc
Manufacturer
Jaipur, Rajasthan
0141 250 3812
Open until 9:00 PM

Kripal Kumbh
Pottery Store
Jaipur, Rajasthan
0141 220 1127

AUREA BLUE POTTERY
Souvenir Store
Jaipur, Rajasthan
098295 70227
Open until 8:00 PM

Bhagwati Blue Art Pottery
Handicrafts Wholesaler
Jaipur, Rajasthan
090019 68219
Open until 8:00 PM

Ram Gopal Blue Pottery
Manufacturer
Jaipur, Rajasthan
098874 55827
Open until 9:00 PM