From the studio
Studio journal
Notes on pottery near Dharamshala, life in the Rakkar studio, and how beginners meet clay — written for travellers and makers who want a personal, patient experience.
- Guide4 min read
A Short Guide to Indian Pottery Traditions
Khurja, Jaipur blue, Kutch, Longpi, Bankura and Andretta — the living pottery traditions of India, what makes each distinct, and which ones you can visit.
Read - Guide4 min read
Your First Pottery Class: What Actually Happens
A minute-by-minute account of a first pottery session — what to wear, what your hands will do, the moment everyone struggles, and what you leave with.
Read - Guide5 min read
The Seven Stages of Clay, Explained by a Potter
Slip, plastic, leather-hard, bone-dry, bisque, glazed, vitrified — what each stage of clay actually feels like, what you can do at each one, and where beginners lose pieces.
Read - Guide5 min read
What Pottery Classes Actually Cost in India
Real prices from a working studio — what a pottery class costs across India, what we charge in Rakkar, and the five questions worth asking before you book anywhere.
Read - 4 min read
What to Expect in a Beginner Hand-Building Workshop
Pinch, coil and slab explained — what your hands actually do in a first hand-building session near Dharamshala, what usually goes wrong, and how to choose what to make.
Read - 4 min read
Rakkar: The Village Side of Dharamshala
A guide to Rakkar and the villages below McLeod Ganj — what the area is like, how to get here, what else is nearby, and why a quiet village suits learning clay.
Read - 4 min read
Things to Do in Dharamshala Beyond the Monasteries
Dharamshala is known for its monasteries and Tibetan culture. Here is the craft side of the Kangra Valley — Norbulingka, the Andretta potters, and where a clay afternoon in Rakkar fits.
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