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The terracotta kulhad cup which is traditionally used to serve a hot cup of chai, dates its origin to the Indus Valley civilization. The chai has its own special appeal when suffused with the earthy aromas from the unglazed terracotta.
We have sourced our kulhads from Mr. Abdul Ibrahim who is the last potter of Khavda, a village in Bhuj, Gujarat. He is trying to continue a craft taught by his ancestors and is 5000 years old, with similar work that has also been previously found dating to the Indus Valley civilization. Beside his youngest son who might be interested, there are no takers in his family or in the village to continue on. Supported by his wife and mother, they toil hard but with great enthusiasm to make natural, artisanal terracotta pottery.
The terracotta is sourced from the nearby desert and transformed into beautiful wares. It is lead free. Mr. Ibrahim’s mother and wife use natural black, red and white colors made from river rocks and clay to make lovely “prakriti” (based on nature) drawings. Frayed bamboo twigs are used as paint brushes.
Given its a dying craft, and with the difficult current times he has had a lot of problems. People and businesses like our company have decided to support and promote him.
I have sincerely enjoyed the carefully designed products of Herbs & Kettles. The first tea that I prepared was Blue Chai, which I found to be thoughtfully apportioned in high-quality silk bags for easy enjoyment. The taste of this tea is exceptionally smooth, reflecting the true quality of their well-sourced ingredients. I enjoyed the tea in the Kutch Terracotta Kulhad. This semi-petite cup is a new experience for me as a Westerner – I love the hand painted designs on the cup, and find the clay material to be engaging as I enjoy the tea. The texture feels unique on the skin and seems to be an age-old, traditional vessel for appreciating tea. While the palpably different nature of this design invites some “getting used to”, I find the extra consideration also helps me to further appreciate the tea ritual as a whole. I recommend!
This is my first experience using unglazed pottery as a drinking vessel. The cup gets quite hot once you fill it with your hot chai of choice, but nothing a pot holder or a sleeve pulled over your hand can’t handle. The cup cools relatively quickly while still keeping the beverage nicely warm. Honestly, their Masala Chai is so tasty that you’ll finish it before it even thinks of getting cold!
