The festival of Diwali is upon us and it comes with a gush of happiness after an entire year full of negativity. With the festive season approaching, people have started assembling gifts and sweets to give to their loved ones, deciding on what to wear, and taking out time to do the ‘Diwali Cleaning’.
And of course, decorating your house with beautiful diyas. Diyas not only lights up the house, but also becomes a business opportunity for many. Their are plenty of independent potters who make and sell diyas to earn a living.
As per a TOI‘s recent report, a 62 year old Chhattisgarh potter named Ashok Chakradhari has designed an innovative lamp to brighten up your Diwali. For those who are wondering why these lamps are so special, these lamp can lit up to 24-40 hours. This traditional lamp is built in a way that the flow of oil is circulated automatically. Hence, boasts a burning capacity of up to 24-40 hours.
Chhattisgarh: Ashok Chakradhari, a potter in Kondagaon, has designed an earthen lamp in which flow of oil is circulated automatically.
He says, "I learnt making this lamp watching several techniques online. I've received a good number of orders for making more such lamps." pic.twitter.com/oIfwmSu1qA
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2020
Chakradhari who lives in the Bastar district’s Kondagaon village said, “I am always on the lookout for new ideas that can challenge my pottery skills, and be a useful innovation for those around me. In 2019, before Diwali, I was looking for a new design to sculpt diyas. That is when I stumbled upon a lamp that carries a reservoir of oil over it and keeps refilling the base to ensure the diya does not stop burning. I found it interesting and decided to make that”.
Chakradhari learned to make lamps watching several techniques online. It took him five to six tries to get the design right, and succeeded in a week. He also shared that he has received a lot of orders for making more of such lamps.
