Terracotta Craft Gorakhpur Uttar Pradesh

Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh is known for its distinctive terracotta figures — brightly painted clay horses, elephants, deer, fish, and human figures made by the Prajapati potter community in Aurai and Chinahat villages. Unlike the unglazed Bankura terracotta of West Bengal, Gorakhpur terracotta is painted with bright enamel-like colours (red, blue, yellow, white) after firing, giving it a festive character. The horses are made by hand-building around a straw core, fired in an open-air clamp kiln, and painted with natural and synthetic pigments. Gorakhpur terracotta toys are sold at the Gorakhpur Mahautsav and through UP Hastkala development initiatives. The craft has GI certification pending. The pottery tradition is linked to the ancient Kushana-period terracotta tradition of eastern UP.