Clay and Terracotta of Tripura

Melaghar and Palpada village of West Tripura district are known for their special pressed clay work. About fifty families in these villages are making and marketing these painted clay work. Traditionally wheel based pots and utensils and handcrafted by the villagers who have diversified into other objects of skill and dexterity. Potters now also make small items of utility like oil lamp, flower vases, decorative wall tiles and pressed functional roofing tiles. Statues of popular gods and goddesses are a great attraction in fairs and festivals. The technique is to use a process of press forming inside moulds made of plaster-of-Paris that are cast over a well crafted original piece. Another significant skill of the potters of Tripura is to make dies and moulds. Clay baked die are popularly used in the preparation of milk sweet called sandesh .