With Diwali inching closer, feeble hands work tirelessly on the potter’s wheel to brighten up our homes as well as theirs. Keeping up the rich family tradition alive, potters at the Soria village of Assam’s Nalbari district were found busy ahead of the Festival of Lights. These locals potters continue to eke out their living by churning the potter’s wheel.

“We are anticipating a bright Diwali this year. We are hopeful of a good business this year. We started making Saki (earthen lamps) from last month itself to cope up with the increased demand during the festival,” said an artisan.

Each potter’s family of the village is making over one lakh earthen lamps this year. Apart from diyas, the potters also make pots and other clay items.

“We cannot produce diyas in bulk. There is hardly any space to keep all the diyas to dry”, another artisan said.

“Though our children have taken up other jobs, we are over a hundred families in this village who keep the tradition alive in the hope that clay goods including earthen lamps will make a comeback. But the sad part is that government schemes have not reached us yet,” the artisan added.