Earthen pot sellers in Jamshedpur are struggling to make ends meet as a result of reduced demand during the Covid-19 crisis, asserting that their lives have become miserable in the lockdown.

“This is our only means of livelihood. But now that the temples are closed, we fail to get customers for diyas (lamps). There are also no takers for pitchers, pots and tubs,” said Sudha Prajapati, a seller at Kumharpara in the Baradwari area of Sakchi.

Baradwari houses the largest colony of earthen pot makers.

Manju Devi, another seller in Sonari, said, “We have been sitting idle for more than two months of lockdown. In the absence of customers, it has become difficult to earn even Rs 100 daily.”

She added that several of them switched to selling vegetables.

Manju’s own sister, Aarti, who now sells vegetables at Sakchi said, “I had no option but to sell vegetables. That was the only way I could think of earning something to run my family.”

A rough estimate suggests that there are over 300 families who have been affected due to the Covid crisis.

The vendors are keeping their fingers crossed for the upcoming festive season.

“We were told that because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Durga Puja and other festivals won’t be celebrated with fanfare and on a large-scale. Hence, we are not very optimistic on the sale of earthen wares,” said Ajay Prajapati, an earthen pot seller at Sakchi market.

He added that they were forced to borrow money and survive somehow.