Sustainable, natural, earthy... probably the buzzwords during the pandemic times for most Hyderabadis. Already, the city was on the brink of an evolution of sorts, with people opting for all things natural, clean, and nutritious. And in the process, the people of Hyderabad have gone back in time and are enjoying food stored or cooked in earthen pots and pans. And it’s not just picking up from roadside potters; many Hyderabadis are now proud owners of artisanal pottery.

Artisinal pottery comes in myriad colors and textures and takes some technique to become something that is both eye-catching and functional. While a terracotta pot is fired up to 800 degrees centigrade, the pit is dug using firewood and baked. But ceramic pottery is more durable and can be permanently glazed in various colors and hues. It also requires special raw materials and glazers. But, of course, the whole effort is worth it and is surely on the pricey side of normal earthenware.

Carmel Hessing of @claysutra on Instagram is the founder of Claysutra and is an instructor. She has a course for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. She holds workshops at her Padmarao Nagar Studio in Secunderabad every Sunday.

Then there is Manpreeth Singh Nishter, founder of MSN Studio in Kokapet. Incidentally, he found his calling 14 years back and specializes in tableware. His art is inspired by nature – animals, flowers, leaves, etc. He says pottery is gratifying as he gets to make something out of nothing. Manpreeth also feels the city has evolved in terms of its choices. He says the studios in Hyderabad are definitely on par with Bengaluru, though they are still far from Delhi and Mumbai.