Source: The Sangai Express
Ukhrul, September 10, 2010:
The creation of five new masterpieces in pottery craft was kick started with a function held at Longpi Kajui, 36 km from Ukhrul district headquarters today.
Shilp Guru Awardees 2008, Machihan Sasa, one of the most promiment potters of North East India hailing from Longpi Kajui will guide the five selected local clay potters in the one-year programme.
In the inaugural function, 10 Sector B Range 17 Assam Rifles DIG, Brig Harish Thukral was the chief guest and Assistant Director of Development Commissioner (Handicraft) Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, T Rollee Vareishim was the guest of honour.
The programe is being organised and sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handricraft) Ministry of Textiles, Government of India Marketing & Service Extension Centre, Babupara, Imphal.
Machihan Sasa said that amongst 10 Indian awardees, two are from Manipur.
He added that Sukumar, a designer of NID, will be supervising all the designs to be made from his clay and luishonrung (stone for making pottery) serpentine stone with five different materials.
Sasa stated that it was during the International Trade Fair of Assam (ITFA), he got selected to undergo monitoring, evaluation and systematic teaching of five masterpieces from his locality and now that the necessary arrangement has been made.
Sasa informed that he has got a contract of supplying 4000 mugs at the cost of Rs 15 to 25 lakhs from a Bangkok businessman.
Saying that the structure of any design comes only after a walk of 4.5 km from his village.
He dugs out the serpentenite rock there.
In one go, one cannot carry more than 30 to 40 kgs of luishonrung rock, he added.