Azamgarh Black Pottery Reduction Kiln Purvanchal Uttar Pradesh

Azamgarh in Purvanchal Uttar Pradesh produces a distinctive black glazed pottery using rice-husk reduction firing. Clay vessels thrown on the wheel are fired in a sealed clamp kiln with wet rice husk, creating a carbon-reducing atmosphere that deposits a jet-black carbon layer on the surface. The result is a smooth, satin-black finish with metallic sheen that distinguishes Azamgarh pottery from standard terracotta. Products include plates, kulhad cups, diyas, and decorative vases sold at district craft fairs and through UP Handcraft Board state emporia. The craft is practised by Kumbhar community potters in Nihalpur and Doharighat villages of Azamgarh district. Cooperative potter groups received training from the National Institute of Design Ahmedabad on contemporary forms suitable for export markets. A government cluster development programme in the 2000s revived the craft after near-extinction in the 1980s.