As temperatures rise, 'matkas' make a cool comeback in Tarn Taran

With the onset of the summer, Suraj Bhan, a potter from Bhandianwala who works along the Sarhali road in Tarn Taran, is once again welcoming customers eager to buy matkas (earthen pots).

Bhan said he had been preparing for the summer season over the past three months, anticipating a rise in demand. He has crafted matkas in various designs to attract customers looking for a natural way to store drinking water.

He added that he was aware that during the summers, many children often preferred cold water from refrigerators, which could sometimes lead to throat infections and viral fever. In contrast, water stored in earthen pots remained naturally cool and was considered healthier, he said.

Baljit Kaur, a resident of Dilawalpur who visited his stall with her husband Virsa Singh to purchase a matka, shared her experience. She said, after switching to refrigerated water at the onset of the summer, both her daughters fell ill and required medical treatment. “Now, we will drink water from earthen pots throughout the season,” she said.

Bhan said he had a large base of regular customers, who returned every year to purchase new pots during the summers.

Gulzar Singh and Neetu from Jodhpur village, who also came to buy earthen pots, said water stored in these tasted better, and helped them avoid drinking excessively cold water from refrigerators amid the scorching heat. Bhan said his work was not limited to the summers.

In the winters, he makes gamlas (plant pots) for growing saplings, and, during, Diwali, he crafts diyas (earthen lamps), ensuring year-round income.

Along the Sarhali road in Tarn Taran, more than 50 potters are engaged in this traditional craft, earning a stable livelihood from their work.