Matka is Not Cool Anymore
Earthen Pot and its maker are struggling to survive – a report by SarthakMehra
Summers can be exhausting due to the extreme heat and cold water proves to be a lifesaver in this heat. How does the modern citizen consume cold water? The refrigerator is the clear winner now. The Indian middle class has welcomed modern electrical appliances with wide arms as their income rose. What has been disregarded in this quest to be modern is the alternative that has dominated the country’s market throughout – Earthen Pots or ‘Matka’. Hira Lal, whose family has been in the business of buying and selling matkas for over 30 years confirms the same. Running a small business near a Mother Dairy shop in Rohini, the family has witnessed the downfall in the demand for matkas over the years. Hira Lal said – “Our business was good in the early 2000s before refrigerators dominated the market. We used to sell 10-15 matkas per day earlier, whereas we sell only 1-2 matkas now”. The family buys matkas from the manufacturing hub in Delhi, Uttam Nagar and all five members of the family depend on the earnings from this small business. Though there is an overall drop in demand, Hira Lal mentioned that the pandemic has proved to be advantageous for their business as people have started buying matkas again. He says, “People are moving back to utensils made of mud and clay after the pandemic. Doctors recommending to avoid drinking cold refrigerated water during the pandemic has increased the sales of matkas”. Being a seasonal product, the demand for matkas fluctuates throughout the year, being nearly zero in the winter season. Hira Lal and his family do not switch professions even in peak winters as the demand for matkas takes a nosedive. Belonging to the Parjapat caste, the family has accepted selling matkas and utensils made up of mud and clay to be their lifetime profession. Hira Lal says, “We are from the Parjapat caste and we engage in this work only. Though people from other castes have also started doing this work, we cannot leave it. This is our work. I am a graduate and tried to get a job earlier with no success. It is only now that I have started working in the fire department at Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini as the demand for Matka is reducing and there is ever-increasing inflation”.