Why Pink City's Ancient Iranian Blue Pottery Art Is Facing Existential Crisis
Without government support, experts say the art will become completely extinct in 10 to 20 years | Reports Firoz Saifi.
Published : June 1, 2026 at 10:50 AM IST
Jaipur: The art of blue pottery that has been passed down from generation to generation by some of Jaipur’s families is facing an existential crisis. This is because of increasing challenges in modern times and a lack of new artisans.
Also known as Persian art, it came to India from Iran in the Mughal period during the reign of Emperor Akbar. King Mansingh I first brought this art to Amer, but it received maximum promotion after Jaipur was founded. The Pink City’s art-loving ruler, Sawai Ram Singh II, promoted this art.
Blue pottery craftsman Anil Doraya, who is also a national award winner, says Sawai Ram Singh II patronised and encouraged the potter community to practice this art that gradually became Jaipur's cultural identity. Doraya’s family has kept this art alive for nine generations, preserving the centuries-old legacy.
Doraya related that Sawai Ram Singh II was very fond of kite flying and competitions were held at Jal Mahal. No kite flyer could cut his kite because he used a specially made string. Doraya said that once his great-grandfather cut the King’s kite. The latter was pleased and sent Doraya’s ancestors, Kaluram Kumhar and Bhuramal Kumhar, to Iran to learn the art of blue pottery.
The then Maharaja of Iran was also a friend of Sawai Ram Singh II. Therefore, his ancestors learned this art in Iran and introduced it to Jaipur. Since then, this art has become a prominent handicraft in Jaipur.
Doraya explained that even before the advent of blue pottery, the local potters produced brown pottery. After learning about blue pottery in Iran, they began using vanilla and sky blue.
"Blue pottery doesn't use ordinary clay. It uses a mixture of several materials, including quartz, glass, Fuller's earth, tragacanth gum (goond katira) and rock salt, which are finely ground in a hand mill and kneaded into a pulp that is rolled out like a chapati and moulded into various dyes. It is then dried in the sun for several days, after which it becomes very light and weighs little,” he explained.
Doraya said that all the artwork on blue pottery is done only by hand. "Blue pottery vessels first receive a white coating. Then, various designs and paintings are made by hand. After this, the vessel is glazed with a layer of molten glass fired in a kiln. It acquires a blue and sky-blue colour that is so strong that it can last for centuries. The artwork remains intact. It features flowers, leaves, creepers, birds, Rajasthani figures and traditional designs that are hand-carved. Stone pigments are used for the colours. Many colours are also sourced from the hilly regions,” Doraya added.
He disclosed that ambassadors from 45 countries, along with many prominent industrialists, have visited his blue pottery unit at Ramgarh Mod to see how utensils are made. They have also purchased blue pottery from there.
Doraya said that mainly bowls, plates, and pots are made in blue pottery. Apart from this, tiles used in homes are also made and purchased the most.
He said that after 2016, the central government has promoted the blue pottery handicraft a lot, but clouds of crisis are looming over this handicraft. “Even though its demand is increasing all over the world, the hands that carry forward this art are getting fewer,” Doraya said.
He said that while people in many countries understand the importance of blue pottery, those in Jaipur are "not able to understand it". "Some consider it to be Chinese, and some treat it as pottery from Khurja in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Stating that only a few families have preserved this art, Doraya said, “If this art is to be kept alive, the government should encourage students to learn it. If the government provides us with 30 to 35 students of fine arts, we will train them in blue pottery and also help them open shops."
He appealed to the government to make arrangements for accommodation and food for such students. "If the government encourages this art, it can survive for another 80 to 100 years. Otherwise, it will become completely extinct in 10 to 20 years."
Doraya underlined that Jaipur's blue pottery is a part of Rajasthan's cultural soul where history resides in every colour, tradition is reflected in every design and the struggles of generations are visible in every work.
"At a time when the entire world is enamoured with the beauty of this art, it is imperative that we also take responsibility to protect and preserve this precious heritage. If this art is lost, not just some utensils but a glorious chapter of history will be lost forever,” he warned.
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