Go down to the house of the potter

That is a quote from Jeremiah, but we were on another trip to sample the singara, cha and beguni from Dakini. As we sat waiting for our refreshments, I was struck by the plumes of thick black smoke issuing from a large beehive-like structure about 40 yards down the road. I was told that they were making pots out of card, or at least, that is what it sounded like. Eventually I twigged that they meant curd, and the pots are what the local shop keepers sell the curd in. We went to have a closer look and were given a full explanaton of the process. The “beehive” was in fact a makeshift kiln, with a roaring fire underneath to fire the clay pots. The black smoke was caused by the green leaves they were feeding into the fire. It was fascinating to see a local craftsman at work.

Feeding the fire

The cap on top of the kiln is made from a mixture of clay and straw.