Puri: Potters of Brahman Taraboi ‘Kudua’ Village Give Life to Earthen Pots Used in Srimandira
From their forefathers’ time, the entire village has been immersed in making ‘kudua’ — the earthen pots.
Puri: As mysterious as Srikhetra, the Srimandir, and the manifestation of Lord Jagannath are, the life story of the potters feels just as obscure.
For years, the wheel has been spinning non-stop. And with the touch of these people of the soil, steeped in devotion, the clay comes alive. Within this world of mud and clay, they hardly have time to notice when night turns to day or evening sets in.
This is all about the Brahmana Tarboi village in Delanga Block of Puri district in Odisha. The village is best known as ‘Kudua village’, because the earthen pots are called ‘Kudua’ where foods are offered to Lord Jagannath in the famous Srimandira of Puri.
Every person in this village carries creativity within them. While shaping the round earthen pots, they are reminded of Kalia Saantha’s round, large eyes. With their devotion and emotion tied to Mahaprabhu Lord Jagannath, they give form to each stage — from kneading the clay to drying and firing.
It is this spirit of surrender in their hearts that has made the potter community the true sevakas of the Lord.
From their forefathers’ time, the entire village has been immersed in making ‘kudua’ — the earthen pots. Forgetting their own homes and families, entire households dedicate themselves to this work.
Without keeping profit in mind, they offer this service with only one motive — devotion. Lined up in stacks outside their houses, these kuduas wait for the day they will reach Ananda Bazar of the grand temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Because once they reach the Rosha Ghara (temple kitchen) of Mahaprabhu, these lifeless pots will be given life.
Their lives will be filled with the divine fragrance of Mahaprasad. Rice, curries, and sweets will be served in these kuduas. And by receiving prasad in them, devotees will earn the merit of a crore lifetimes.
For the potters, the fact that these clay pots get to serve Mahaprabhu eases all their hardships. They don’t even get time to calculate profit and loss. Because as soon as night falls, the wheel starts spinning again. Hundreds of kuduas will be made once more and sent to Srikhetra — to be engaged in the service of Mahaprabhu.
