Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): China Varni, a big-sized pot made of china clay from Kerala, is the second Exhibit of Week of this month. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya here has displayed the exhibit on its official website and social media pages.
Collected from Nair community of Ernakulam in Kerala in 1991, its height and circumference are 68 cms and 217 cms respectively. The knitted or woven coconut fiber rope provides extra support to pot and reduces risk of damage. It also helps in transporting the pot conveniently from one place to another. The pot is covered with a round wooden lid.
Museum director Praveen Kumar Mishra said China Varni literally means a Chinese pot. It is a big-sized glazed earthenware made of china clay wrapped and woven with coconut rope around its outer surface. It is dark brown in colour. They are used to preserve food items, particularly pickle, for a long period, by Nair community. Variety of pickles has always been a part of Kerala cuisines.
In the olden days, these pots were important items of exchange. The community members would get spices from traders in exchange of China Varni.
China Varni |
