Malu Kerni
With mercury soaring high, the demand for earthen pots has picked up considerably in the city and in the outskirts. Sales of earthen pots typically used for storing drinking water, have increased in the last couple of days with the temperature hovering around 40-42 degree Celsius.
Pots in different sizes and water capacity are available in the range of Rs. 50 to Rs. 500. Commonly known as ‘Gagri’ or ‘Matka’, earthen pitchers have undergone modifications, the latest being an addition of ‘tap’ for easily pouring out water. These modern earthen pots with modern style and designs look exactly like a plastic water cooler with a tap attached.
Earthen pitchers, which have long been replaced by refrigerators in almost every household, are now slowly, but steadily making a comeback. With the rising temperature and unscheduled long power cuts, people are opting for these earthen ‘water coolers’ to beat the heat.
“Sale picked up from the last few months when the temperature increased. Almost 40-50 pots are being sold every day and I hope this number will maintain and may also increase,” said Lakshmi Devi, earthen pot seller.
Best known for their natural cooling capacity, these earthen pots are now gradually finding its way in the household also due to health benefits associated with it and due to frequent power-cuts which make refrigerators useless. These pots then become a free-of-cost substitute for refrigerators to quench thirst.
There are shops in Janipur, Moti Bazar and one can easily find these vendors along the road sides selling these pots. Moreover, many makeshift stalls have also mushroomed in the outskirts of the city
Sarika Sharma, a homemaker said, “With frequent power-cuts, one could safely rely on these ‘earthen refrigerator’ to get cold water. And of course, the pitcher water is good for health and it is light on pocket too. Also, special pots are being made with taps fitted to them for the comfort of the urban people who do not like dipping glasses in the pot as hands may touch inside water. This is a good and healthy option to get cold water this summer even if there is a power cut.”
