Mini Masi
A Unique Clay Artisan
By Bipul K Debnath
Her face is well-known to all at College Para, Master Para, Bolida Para, Shibnagar and Thana Para areas of Kaliganj upazila in Jhenaidah district. One can easily find her on the street, pulling a goods-laden rickshaw van, almost every day. She starts her day at dawn so she can reach the haat (local bazaar) early and secure a place for selling her pottery items, such as cooking pots, lids, jugs, bowls, jhajhi (colander for making puffed rice), flower pots, dolls, coin banks, etc. Customers throng to her makeshift stall to buy their desired clay objects. This dignified white-haired woman is Mini Rani Pal, or Mini Masi, as she is locally known.
From my childhood, I am used to seeing Mini Masi (aunt) selling clay pots and other pottery objects. I am 35 now and I still see her working. She is hardworking and very sincere about her work. She never stays idly. We sometimes see her selling her wares even in heavy rain. Though she is an elderly lady, she can still move her van with the heavy load. Whenever we speak to her, she always replies with a smile on her face. Thank God for keeping her fit and well. We locals are really proud of her, Mukesh Biswas, a local businessman, said.
Mini Rani Pal does not know her real age. But she can recall some historical events following her birth. She told this correspondent: I was born in a Pal family (who are traditionally clay potters). I do not remember the exact date of my birth. But my parents used to tell me that I was born during the partition of India and Pakistan (in 1947).
I have been working with clay from the very early days of my life. I helped my parents to make different clay potteries. We passed a very busy time during religious festivals. Besides, there was a huge demand for clay products in those days. People used clay utensils. You could see every family had clay objects that they used in their daily lives. Gradually, I realised a deep passion and vocation for making pottery. I passed my entire day working with clay. Sometimes, my mother scolded me for not having my meals on time! she said, with a smile.
Mini Masi was married at a very young age. But she did not keep herself away from her clay work. Though her husband was much older than her, he helped her to learn more about making clay items. Thus, she started making pottery fulltime.
After getting married, I helped my husband with his clay business. He was very nice to me. He taught me a lot, so I could make clay objects of different designs. He was a known clay potter of that time. People gave us large orders ahead of special occasions. Then one day, he was passing by a bamboo grove in the evening when he saw something unusual and got really scared. After returning home, he became sick and could not recover from it. Finally, I lost him. His sudden death just after five years of our marriage forced me to survive on my own, and take care of our small children, Mini Masi continued.
Mini Rani Pal has three sons and one daughter. They are all married and have their own families. But none of them are involved in the pottery business now. Rather, they have left their mother alone to carry on the family trade. She earns about Taka 4,000 a month from her pottery work.
Talking about Mini Masi, her young neighbour, Titas Kumar Kha, a university student, said fondly: We have a lot of memories with her. Once on our way to school, we mischievously threw some brickbats at the clay pots being carried by Mini Masi. When some got broken, we were delighted. Masi scolded us bitterly, and even complained to our parents about it. We will never forget such incidents with her. She is a great lover of clay work. Nothing can stop her from making clay pottery. Though people are losing interest in this profession, Mini Masi is still going on in full swing.
This elderly woman is continuing her journey, and of course, she has already made all the difference in preserving her familys tradition. I wish to continue working with clay till my last breath, the 70-year-old clay artisan concluded.
Photos: Writer
