Bankura Terracotta

I belong to the kumbhakar (potter) community of Panchmura, Bankura — the home of the famous Bankura horse.

We dig our own clay from the paddy fields after the monsoon, hand-build the long-necked horses and elephants, and fire them in a wood kiln until they ring like metal.

The Bankura horse is the logo of Indian handicrafts, yet the families who make it still live simply. I sell direct now, so the story — and the earning — stays in Panchmura.