Not only Andhra-Telangana, Maharashtra-Rajasthan and Delhi also became admirers of Gorakhpur's terracotta, goods sent in 30 trucks

Gorakhpur: In Uttar Pradesh, after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath included terracotta in One District One Product (ODOP) in the year 2018, the days of the craftsmen associated with it are over. This craft, which was dying before joining ODOP, has now become popular in the entire country. The craftsmen have so much work that they don't have time to catch their breath. Amid the increasing demand for terracotta products year after year, the business of craftsmen has already brightened up before Diwali Navratri. After supplying about 30 trucks of terracotta products to different states of the country, the craftsmen of Gorakhpur are busy finalizing the products for the local market for Diwali.

Due to Dussehra and Diwali, the demand for terracotta products of Gorakhpur has doubled compared to last year. The festive demand has been supplied by the craftsmen even before Navratri. National Award-winning terracotta craftsman Rajan Prajapati says that this time he has supplied 15 trucks of products to the cities of Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow and Rajasthan for Dussehra and Diwali. Rajan had supplied 8 trucks of terracotta products to outside states last year. Apart from Rajan Prajapati, Pannelal Prajapati has supplied 8 trucks, Hariom Azad 2 trucks, Mohanlal and Sohanlal Prajapati have supplied 2 trucks and Hiralal Prajapati has supplied one truck of products. The demands received from all of them have been fulfilled even before Navratri and Dussehra.

Demand for terracotta increased before Diwali, women artisans completing the work (UP Government)

Supplies are being supplied to non-states

Terracotta craftsmen say that now they are finalizing their products as per the demand of the local market on Diwali. After inclusion in ODOP, the demand for terracotta crafts has more than doubled in the local market.

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Baba is our brand ambassador

All these craftsmen give credit to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the bumper change in the terracotta market. Rajan Prajapati says that we do not need advertising to sell goods. CM Yogi himself has done so much branding of terracotta that we have a lot of work. Recently, in the UP International Trade Show held in Greater Noida from 25th to 29th September, the terracotta crafts of Gorakhpur shined in front of the visitors from the country and the world. Participating craftsmen and businessmen also received many new orders.

Terracotta joins ODOP while artisans work for orders from other states (UP Government)

People started getting involved in traditional skills due to the initiative of the government.

Craftsmen say that even before Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister, terracotta craftsmen had the capacity but due to lack of encouragement and proper platform from the government, its scope was getting narrowed. He came as a savior for this clay craft which was dying till 2017. After becoming the Chief Minister, he included terracotta in the One District One Product scheme in 2018 and since then the craft has been touching new heights. After joining ODOP, the terracotta business is expanding year after year due to the incentives being received from the government. The situation is that today there is no dearth of work for the old craftsmen. Not only this, seeing the future potential of terracotta, a large number of new craftsmen and businessmen have also joined it.

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Effect of Yogi government's help visible

In fact, Terracotta was rejuvenated when CM Yogi declared it as ODOP of Gorakhpur. After joining ODOP, terracotta artisans not only got resourceful, financial and technical help, but under the leadership of CM, such tremendous branding took place that its market expanded immensely. With the availability of electric wheel, pug mill, design machine etc., the work of craftsmen became easier and the productivity increased three to four times. The quality has improved considerably.