|
 The
Delhi Blue Pottery Studio is one of the oldest
pottery institutes in the country with professional
studio potters to instruct the students. The founder
chairman of the studio is Padma Shree Sardar Gurucharan
Singh.
Pottery continues to be an intrinsic
part of everyday life even today. Building on this
deeply ingrained tradition, the late Sardar Gurucharan
Singh pioneered the concept of studio pottery
in India, blending the techniques and work patterns
of Japan, where he trained in this art, and
India where he settled and worked for over half a
century. At his Delhi Blue Art Pottery in New Delhi,
Sardar Gurucharan Singh trained several generations
of studio potters, helping them to draw from their
own heritage. He called his studio ‘Delhi Blue Art
Pottery’ after the name ‘Delhi Blue’ given by the
British to the blue colour seen on many monuments
of Delhi. Even today, Gurucharan Singh’s Delhi blue
tiles and jaails can be seen adorning many
modern buildings and homes in Delhi, alongside old
and beautiful tombs embellished with the same colour.
 As
Monika, one of the teachers of the institute,
puts it, "It’s a very old place, its been
20 years since its inception. I have been teaching
here since 1997 and prior to that many other people
were teaching here. To begin with, this was a production
unit as they were producing glazed ware along with
other stuff in other colours as well, not only blue.
They specialized in blue tiles. The jaalis at India
International Centre were done here. Today its
not a production pottery place, it’s a place where
people can come and learn pottery. Other than learning
we provide other facilities as well. You can buy clay
from here, like stone clay. You can also come and
buy chemicals and all materials required which are
used in ceramics. We also have 2 up craft kilns and
they are also on hire if people want to use them.
The idea of The Delhi Blue Pottery Trust is to promote
ceramics and teach the art of pottery."
Gurucharan
Singh taught students young and old from both India
and abroad. Some worked on it as a hobby and other
became studio potters in their own right. Delhi Blue
Pottery Art became a Mecca for potters. In 1991 Sardar
Gurucharan Singh received the Padma Shri Award
from the President of India for his contribution in
the field of ceramics. It was in the same year the
Blue Pottery Trust was set up in the basement complex
of the New Delhi Blue apartments. The complex has
a spacious well-lit exhibition gallery, studio,
potters wheels, kilns, a library and museum.
 According
to Monika, "We have workshops too, where we
call potters from abroad. We recently had one with
British Potter Sandy Brown. We also hold exhibitions
at Sanskriti Kendra and Anand Gram."
Pottery classes are held here regularly
on both monthly and weekend basis. The only criterion
for students is that they should learn to respect
and love clay, which would be their medium of expression. Students
may choose from any 4 sessions comprising 3 days a
week, and one can even sign up for 2 sessions. The
curriculum includes making animals, pinched pots,
to play and get the feel of clay, how to wedge clay
and to knead it to get rid of any pockets. Students
are also taught to make mugs, glazes, firing on
kilns, how to make different lids, to make money boxes
and collaring.
The studio is closed on Mondays.
Address: Delhi
Blue Apartments (Basement), No 2, Factory
Road, Safdarjung, Ring Road, New Delhi - 110
029
Phone: 619 8588
- Jyoti Narang
|
1:22:09 PM 
