Craft in Architecture: Khapada- Roofing Tiles of Nepal: Khapada - Roofing Tiles

PROCESS & TECHNIQUE
Using the Wheel: On the wheel, the potter first makes a hollow cylinder of clay with the necessary thickness. The cylinder is then detached from the wheel (and another one is made in the same way). The cylinders thus made are scratched vertically at the opposite ends when they are partially dried. As the hollow cylinders dry and harden the potter breaks them into two halves – the centres of the cylinders are hit with a wooden tool. The separated khapada tiles, after drying, are piled up and fired by using straw as fuel.

Using a Wooden Mould: When a wooden mould is used, it is in a semi-cylindrical shape. The mould is placed on the ground. The potter covers the mould with a layer of clay and beats the layer till it becomes uniformly thick all over. It is then detached from the mould and dried.

The tiles produced by pressing the clay over the moulds are considered more durable and strong than the tiles made on the potter’s wheel, which are light, thin, and brittle. Such tiles are liable to be blown away during strong winds; however, as they are cheaper they are still in use.