Bhaktapur. Demands of clay lamps are soaring with the arrival of the second biggest festival next week.

In order to meet the high demands of the clay lamps, the Prajapati community of Bhaktapur have stopped crafting other varieties of pottery and are fully concentrated in making clay lamps.

Ram Prasad Prajapati of the Pottery Square in Bhaktapur stated that if they fail to supply the clay lamps to the market within the next 3 days, their effort would be futile. Prajapati also added that the schools have shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the children are also interested in assisting their parents in pottery making.

The potters’ community in Bhaktapur mostly reside in Taluka, Suryamadhi, Liwali, Tumucho, Chyamhasih and Suryavinayak. These communities supply clay products to the traders from Kavre, Banepa, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Trishuli of Nuwakot and Pokhara, Hetauda and Chitwan. The dealers buy the clay pots at low rates from the potters and supply them to distributors who market them at high prices.

On the day of Lakshmi Pooja of Tihar, there is a tradition of lighting Clay lamps, wax candles and electric lights on the doors, windows, balcony and terrace, with the belief that it brings the Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity into the homes. The demand for electricity has also gotten high for the festival.