Royapettah couple supplies handmade clay curd pots to Chennai star hotel

A 65-year-old craftsman, K. Manohar, and his wife, M. Bhuvaneshwari, are keeping a 50-year-old micro-business alive by manufacturing and supplying handmade clay curd pots from their workspace on Maavadi Vinayagar Koil Street in Balaji Nagar, Royapettah. Operating as a two-member team, the couple produces hundreds of pots daily to maintain a regular bulk supply for a star hotel in Chennai.

Manohar handles the core pot-making process using clay sourced from Red Hills, while Bhuvaneshwari assists with preparation, drying, and firing. Together, they produce between 200 and 300 pots every day. The finished pots are priced between ₹8 and ₹10 each, offering a traditional novelty to the luxury hospitality sector.

To manage their production cycle, Manohar maintains a constant inventory of 4,000 pots at any given time. Once the couple accumulates around 2,000 dried pots, they initiate the firing process. While they are not highly focused on retailing their products to individual walk-in customers, they do not shy away from retail sales either.

The business faces several modern challenges, including rising operational costs. The monthly rent for their workspace is ₹5,000, and the cost of firewood has risen significantly. Firewood prices first spiked during a period of widespread concern over LPG shortages and have remained high ever since.

Additionally, the process of firing the pots generates smoke, leading to protests from neighbours. To avoid friction in the residential area, Manohar has restricted the firing process to just one day a week. He schedules this on a weekday so that the process takes place when most residents are away at their workplaces, schools, or colleges.

The area where they operate was historically known as Royapettah-Kosapet due to its traditional association with clay pot and lamp making, before the name was changed to Maavadi Vinayagar Koil Street. Despite these hurdles and the loss of other star hotel clients over the decades, Manohar remains content servicing his single remaining bulk order.