PAWANA SHRESTHA
Nepal is a famous destination among both national and international tourists. With varied geography, even in such a small land area, one can experience the various beauty; whether it be the Himalayas, the gorges of hills, or the landscape view of Terai, the natural beauty is the major attraction of Nepal. However, the taste of local culture and tradition is what adds up memories in your journey. The welcoming people, their food, tradition, and lifestyle is another beautiful aspect of Nepal. As one travels into different valleys, they can get different cultural experience from each of them. Every destination is culturally rich with its originality.
Bhaktapur is one of the many such destinations, famous among tourists, for the art, culture, and tradition it holds. Besides the delicately wood crafted palace and ancient history, it also has traditional and local art to portray to the visitors. Pottery Square in Bhaktapur is the best place to take a stroll into the pottery art that has been passed from generation to generation by the local people of Bhaktapur.
When we pick souvenirs from gift shops, we go through a confusing decision for which to select among the beautifully crafted ones. Pottery Square is the place where you can see the different stages that the raw clay goes through to mold into the detailed structure. The major citizens of Bhaktapur are the local Newars. Pottery Square is a big yard where the pottery artists are busy with their own assigned work. You see the clay spinning in the wheel and the experienced hands gracefully shaping it, on the other side you can see the ceramics basking in the sun, and children of the family carefully moving small pots that fit in their hand to the storage area. Then finally, when the craft is dry and molded, it is taken to be painted.
Pottery is more than a profession to the people in Bhaktapur. It is the skill that they have learned from the passing generation of their family. Some people are proud to possess the skill as their identity. They love what they do. However, in this fast-paced and modernized century, the detailly crafted arts from hand are losing their popularity. Some locals are afraid that with time the skill of pottery might get lost.
Nevertheless, many tourists are still attracted to the experience of pottery making, therefore, many shops also provide one-day and more workshops to learn to spin the wheel and mold the clay. This art can also be acknowledged as a calming activity to refresh one’s mind. Away from the hectic everyday schedule, getting to craft and patiently notice raw clay transform into a delicate shape is truly a fine experience to try.
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