Blue Pottery of Jaipur
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The art of making blue glaze pottery came to Rajasthan via Kashmir, their entry point into India. This particular art form has been named as blue pottery because of the eye-catching Persian blue dye used to color the clay. The Jaipur blue pottery, made out of Egyptian paste, is glazed and low-fired. No cracks develop in it and since it is impervious, it is more hygienic for daily use. Some of this pottery is semi-transparent and mostly decorated with animal and bird motifs. Being fired at very low temperature makes them fragile, though few can resist the charm of the delicate blue and white floral motifs. The range of items is primarily decorative, such as ashtrays, vases, coasters, small bowls and boxes for trinkets. The colour palette is restricted to blue derived from the oxide of cobalt, green from the oxide of copper and white, though other non-conventional colours, such as yellow and brown have jumped into the fray too.
The use of blue glaze on pottery made from Multani mitti, or Fuller’s earth, is essentially an imported technique, first developed by Mongol artisans who combined Chinese glazing technology with Persian decorative arts. This technique travelled south to India with early Muslim potentates in the 14th century. During its infancy, it was strictly used to make tiles to decorate mosques, tombs and palaces in Central Asia.
Later, the Mughals began using them in India, in a bid to mimic their structures from beyond the mountains in Samarkand. Gradually the blue glaze technique broke free of its status as an architectural accessory, and Kashmiri potters took to it on. From there, the technique rolled down to the plains of Delhi and in the 17th century wound its way to Jaipur. The rulers of Jaipur were partial to blue-glazed ware, and many a cool marble hall in Rambagh Palace has as its centrepiece a bubbling fountain lined with ravishing blue tiles. These tiles were also used extensively in the building of the splendid city of Jaipur, they disappeared soon after.
The revival of tile-making began in the late 19th century, and Jaipur became the centre of a thriving industry producing blueware. The traditional Persian designs have now been adapted to please a more sophisticated clientele. Apart from the usual urns, jars, pots and vases, you can now find find tea sets, cups and saucers, plates and glasses, jugs, ashtrays and even napkin rings. One can spot blue pottery being made at Sanganer, not far from Jaipur, and also within the city at Kripal Kumbh, Shiva Marg.
