Rourkela: Residents of the potters’ colony here at Tilka Nagar near Bondamunda are having a good time these days with the prospect of earning a good sum as the demand of ‘diyas’ has rocketed ahead of the grand Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya January 22. The potters are supplying clay lamps for the upcoming celebrations to nearby areas and beyond the state’s border.
The diyas are being sent as far as Keonjhar, Barbil and Jharsuguda districts in Odisha, while buyers are also coming from places like Simdega, Manoharpur and other nearby areas across the border in Jharkhand. “We have been receiving orders from distant places and they are coming here almost every day to pick their goods,” said Rameswar Prajapati, one of the potters here. There are over 15 potter families here in Tilka Nagar and all the families are busy making diyas for the celebrations ahead. Another potter said, “It is a difficult task for all of us to cater to the demand as Saraswati Puja will be just around the corner after the Ram Temple celebrations. In the meanwhile, we are receiving orders for diyas from various places. I have brought a few more artisans from Bihar so that it will be easier for me to tackle the increased demand.” On a daily basis, these potters prepare diyas, flower pots, challah and other products from clay. But, nowadays making diyas is their mainstay. “For the Ram Mandir, the orders for diyas have gone up. More than seven to eight thousand diyas are sold on a daily basis for local consumption,” said another potter Raghu.
As per a rough estimate, the daily supply has gone up manifold. “I think more than 70,000 diyas are being supplied every day and this will continue till January 22,” said Jayram Pandit aka Prajapati, who is the main potter behind the making of what is being touted as the biggest clay diya of the world for the upcoming consecration fete. The grand diya has been ordered by one Smile Foundation. The top circumference of the diya is 12 feet, the height is 5.5 feet and it can contain up to 6,000 litres of ghee.
