Archive · 10 Oct 2026
Festive Clay Crafts Sustain Women’s Livelihoods Amid Economic Challenges
Soniya and Sharda make and sell clay items for festivals in Delhi.
They sell lamps, pots and statues of gods and goddesses.
Soniya makes some statues by hand, while Sharda often buys them from wholesale markets.
Their work gets busy during the festival season, but it does not bring much money to save.
They also worry that items left unsold are hard to store.
The sisters have limited access to the internet, so they often learn about designs through newspapers, television or pictures.
They are not part of a group that could support their work.
The article says government-backed urban livelihood groups might help artisans like them.
Soniya and Sharda sell clay lamps, pots and festival idols in Delhi during the seasonal period from after the monsoon to around Diwali.
Soniya still makes and hand-paints some idols, while Sharda often buys them wholesale in Kolkata or Delhi.
Their products include idols priced at Rs 250 to Rs 500, along with diyas, pots and clay toys.
The sisters face limited internet access, unsold stock and storage problems, and say the work brings little savings.
The article suggests urban livelihood groups under DAY-NULM could help artisans who are not part of a cooperative or collective.
- Who
- Sisters Soniya and Sharda, who work in pottery and festival idol-making.
- What
- They make and sell clay lamps, pots and festival idols as a seasonal livelihood.
- When
- After the monsoon through around Diwali, during the festive season.
- Where
- They travel from Govindpuri near Kalkaji to sell in Patparganj, Delhi.
- Why
- They continue the family occupations because they have few other skills to rely on.
- Products
- Clay lamps, small pots, pots for growing jwaare, Durga idols, clay toys and other festival idols.
- Idol prices
- Rs 250 to Rs 500, depending on size.
- Season
- Preparation begins after the monsoon and continues until around Diwali.
- Selling route
- The sisters travel from Govindpuri, near Kalkaji, to Patparganj by autorickshaw.
- Materials and production
- Soniya uses moulds and a clay paste called kaai; painting and decoration are done by hand.
- Challenges
- Limited internet access, little savings and difficulty storing unsold inventory.
- Potential support
- The article proposes urban livelihood groups under DAY-NULM.