“You don’t make terracotta. You become it.”
That’s what an artisan in Odisha’s Sonepur whispered, half in jest, half in truth, as he pulled a red-hued horse from a pit of smoking chaff.
In a world of AI renders and PLA filaments, it’s easy to forget the quiet charm of sunbaked earth. But in the floodplains of the Mahanadi, where the soil still smells like home and hands remember the gestures of gods, a craft as old as civilization still breathes — literally.
This is Sonepur Terracotta.
Not the minimalistic plant pots on your balcony.
Not the urban rustic aesthetic from Pinterest boards.
But ritualistic, resilient, ridiculously expressive clay sculpture- shaped by calloused fingers and fired in open kilns, with stories that go back to the Vedas and forward to the next art fair.
Today, we dig deep.
What Even Is Sonepur Terracotta?
Imagine a lion with lotus paws.
Or a bird whose feathers are tiny temples.
Now imagine it’s made entirely from red soil- coiled, carved, sun-dried, and baked in a wood-fired furnace till it blushes ochre.
That’s Sonepur Terracotta.
A tribal art form born from the beliefs of western Odisha’s potter communities (primarily Kumbhakar), this craft is not just decorative- it’s spiritual. Sculptures are often votive offerings made during festivals like Kandhen Budhi Jatra or Nuakhai, with animal figures, village deities, and mythic hybrids occupying pride of place in household shrines.
It’s clay meets cosmos. Earth meets emotion.
And like all good things, it’s slow.
A Quick History Before the Kiln
Terracotta (from the Latin terra cocta or “baked earth”) has been around since the Harappan Civilization. But Sonepur- nestled at the confluence of the Mahanadi and Tel rivers, gave it a uniquely Odia twist.
Historically a princely state, Sonepur (or Subarnapur) was a melting pot of tribal, Brahminical, and folk traditions. With temples, tantric shrines, and strong ritual practices, it became a hotspot for shakti worship and symbolic craft.
Artisans here weren’t just potters, they were mythmakers.
They sculpted not just forms, but metaphors.
A terracotta bull wasn’t just a toy, it was Nandi.
A bird wasn’t just decoration, it was a messenger to the ancestors.
Over centuries, as temple patronage grew, so did the scale of the terracotta.
From toys to totems. From markets to mandaps.
And then came modernity.
How the Clay is Cooked
Before it becomes sculpture, it becomes mud. But not just any mud.
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Clay sourcing: Artisans collect red soil from riverbeds, especially areas where the Mahanadi recedes. This soil is soft, mineral-rich, and easy to mold.
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Refining: The clay is soaked in water for 2–3 days, kneaded like dough, and filtered to remove stones or organic matter.
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Forming: Larger pieces (like elephants or horses) are built using coiling and beating methods — without any moulds. Intricate details- like feathers, bells, or facial expressions, are made separately and attached with a slip (watery clay glue).
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Drying: The formed sculptures are sun-dried for 3–7 days, depending on size.
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Firing: Here’s the magic. Artisans build a makeshift kiln using straw, husk, firewood, and cow dung cakes. The sculptures are placed inside and fired for hours. The red color? It’s the iron content in the clay oxidizing.
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Finishing: Some are left raw. Others are burnished, smoke-fired for a black finish, or painted using natural dyes.
It’s not just art.
It’s chemistry. It’s choreography. It’s chakki peesing, but make it divine.
Motif 1: The Elephant That Guards Memory
If there’s one creature that dominates Sonepur’s terracotta stalls, it’s the elephant — often with exaggerated ears, ornate tusks, and arched spines.
But this isn’t Dumbo. This is Gajapati symbolism at its finest.
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Elephants are seen as divine vehicles (Airavata of Indra).
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They’re also guardians of memory, associated with wisdom and rain.
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In Sonepur terracotta, they’re sculpted mid-march- one foot forward, trunk lifted, bells swinging from their neck.
Each elephant is hollow inside, a nod to the folk belief that wisdom isn’t loud.
Some versions feature miniature riders- often Krishna, sometimes Jagannath. These are not toys. They’re mobile altars. And in the annual Rath Yatra, families offer terracotta elephants instead of flowers- clay that doesn’t wilt.
Motif 2: The Peacock That Spoke to the Seas
Sonepur’s peacocks are… dramatic.
Elongated thick necks, boat-like tails, and eyes that look like they’ve seen too many monsoons.
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Symbolically, the peacock represents beauty, devotion, and self-expression.
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In terracotta, it becomes a talisman- often gifted during weddings as a symbol of union.
Artisans use a clever trick: carving feather grooves with combs or broken bangles, giving each bird a textured finish. Some birds are even designed with whistling holes- when you blow into the tail, the bird sings. Some carry people on their backs, saving them from cyclones.
It’s toy, sculpture, and musical instrument all in one.
Tradition Meets Today: The State of the Art
So, is Sonepur Terracotta stuck in nostalgia?
Not really.
It’s evolving- slowly, like wet clay finding shape.
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GI Tag Hopes: The Odisha government, under its handicraft revival mission, is pushing for Geographical Indication (GI) status for Sonepur Terracotta since 2022. This would give artisans legal protection and a marketing edge, especially in export markets.
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Craft Clusters and Training: Under the Guru Shishya Parampara scheme, master artisans like Gobardhan Rana and Rabi Narayan Kumbhar are mentoring the next generation — with women and youth actively involved in production.
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Exhibitions and Fairs: From Surajkund Mela to Lalit Kala Akademi craft weeks, Sonepur’s sculptors are displaying work nationally. A few are even collaborating with ceramicists from Delhi and Baroda.
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Functional Design Experiments: Some artisans are experimenting with terracotta lamps, wall panels, and planters — not just for puja rooms, but for urban apartments. Think minimalist shelf peacocks or incense holders shaped like temples.
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Eco-Angle Boost: With climate change discourse heating up, the earth-friendly, zero-waste, hand-built nature of terracotta is being embraced by sustainability-focused consumers and designers alike.
One artisan said, “Plastic doesn’t remember you. But clay remembers the shape of your palm.”
Sonepur’s soil is getting woke.
The Clay Conclusion: Fired, But Never Forgotten
Sonepur’s terracotta is not just craft. It’s character.
It’s what happens when belief meets patience.
When earth becomes offering.
When a village’s soil becomes its soul.
In a world spinning faster by the second, these quiet, sunbaked creatures remind us of the value of slow hands, of unhurried art, of giving fire enough time to remember the shape of your devotion.
So next time you spot a terracotta horse in a living room, don’t dismiss it as décor.
Pick it up. Feel its warmth.
You’re not holding a sculpture.
You’re holding centuries of air, water, soil- and story.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s also holding you.
References:
Das, K. (2011). Crafting a Future: Handicrafts and Handloom of Odisha. Bhubaneswar: Odisha Lalit Kala Academy.
Department of Handicrafts, Textiles and Handlooms. (2023). Annual Report on Artisan Clusters and Craft Revival Programs in Odisha. Government of Odisha.
Ghosh, B. (2018). Sacred Clay: Terracotta Traditions of Eastern India. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
Mishra, R. (2022). The motifs of memory: Symbolism in terracotta craft of Western Odisha. Journal of Tribal Art and Culture, 8(2), 56–67.
Mohanty, S. (2020). The Earthen Imagination: A Study of Sonepur’s Terracotta Culture. Cuttack: Utkal University Press.
National Crafts Museum. (2019). Documentation of Ritual Terracotta Practices in Odisha. Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Patnaik, D. (2017). Gods in Clay: Terracotta Traditions and the Making of Meaning. Bhubaneswar: Heritage India Publications.
Sahu, A. (2021). From kiln to craft: Revival strategies for Odisha’s terracotta heritage. Indian Art & Culture Quarterly, 12(1), 23–35.
VIRASAT-E-HIND Foundation. (2024). Reviving Sonepur’s Clay Heritage: A Report on Community-Led Terracotta Interventions in Western Odisha. New Delhi: VEHF Publications.