Travel & press info
Pottery Classes & Ceramic Workshops in Dharamshala and Rakkar
Mita Pottery Studio is a handmade ceramics studio in Rakkar village, Himachal Pradesh. Madhumita teaches every class herself. Most people who come have never touched clay; the workshops are built for that, from age five up.
Wherever you’re starting from
The studio teaches people who have never touched clay and gives working potters a wheel and a kiln. Most of what happens here needs no experience at all.
- 2 hours · First timePottery workshopTwo hours at the table or the wheel, guided by Madhumita, on any day the studio is open. Clay, tools and aprons are provided. Ages five and up.
- 2 nights · Any levelWeekend pottery stayTwo nights in the village with room and meals, and a studio session each day. Taught if you are new to clay, your own wheel if you already throw.
- Monthly · Living nearbyMonthly classEight two-hour sessions a month, working through throwing, trimming and glazing at your own pace.
- 2 weeks · BeginnersPottery immersionA fortnight with room and meals, ten studio days and fifty guided hours on a wheel that is yours for the stay. No experience needed.
- 1 week · Beginners welcomePottery retreatSeven nights with room and meals, five taught studio days, and time left over for walks, cafes and the valley.
- 1–2 weeks · Skilled pottersPractice WeekA week or a fortnight of self-directed studio time with room and meals, and regular check-ins with Madhumita along the way.
- By the day or week · Working pottersStudio passWheel time, studio space and kiln firing by the hour, day, week or month. Firing is also available for pieces made elsewhere.
- 1–2 weeks · Practising artistsResidencySelf-directed studio time with room and meals, shaped around the work you are making. Apply with images; each residency is priced individually.
What guests say
4.8 out of 5 · 10 reviews on GoogleOne of my long-awaited dreams was to learn pottery and create something with my own hands. As a visual artist and painter, I truly enjoy exploring different mediums, and this experience has been both inspiring and enriching. I’m deeply…
Had such a lovely experience at Mita Studio! The teacher, Madhumita is incredibly patient and gives very detailed, easy-to-follow instructions while making the whole process fun and encouraging. The studio itself is cozy, warm and…
Stepping into Mita’s studio was the highlight of our week. She is a total genius with clay, a true master who lives and breathes pottery. We fell in love with her work and bought a few pieces, but what made the trip so unforgettable was…
The packaging was impressive—it’s just the same care wasn’t given to the actual piece. The glaze is disappointingly poor, and to make matters worse, it wasn’t even done in the glaze that was promised. Definitely not the smooth finish I was…
Very pinteresty place must visit 🥰🥰 With Very cozy vibes 😇
Reviews from Google. Shown as written, most recent first.
About the founder
Madhumita Chatterjee (Mita) spent eight years as a technical and business consultant at ZS Associates before leaving to work in clay full time. She began in 2024 at a residential pottery studio in the Kangra Valley, learned glaze firing in a workshop with ceramicist Tinni Arora, volunteered in studios in Kolkata, then spent a year practising on her own setup. She opened Mita Pottery Studio in Rakkar in August 2026 and teaches every session herself. Meet Mita.
Studio location
Find us on the first floor of Ghoomakkad New Building, Rakkar Road, Rakkar, Himachal Pradesh 176057. Rakkar is a village in the Kangra Valley, a short drive from Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj, surrounded by the Dhauladhar mountains.
First Floor, Ghoomakkad New Bldg, Rakkar Rd, Rakkar, Himachal Pradesh 176057Open in Google MapsClasses and workshops
Monthly pottery classes run from one to six months, covering beginner through advanced wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. Clay workshops are experience-driven 2-hour sessions, bookable on any open day: pinch mugs and artifacts, botanical leaf imprinting, and wheel time. Acrylic on bisque is the hour-long painting alternative, with new formats launching regularly.
- Monthly pottery classes (1 to 6 months, beginner to advanced)
- Workshops: 2-hour sessions on any open day, no experience needed
- Botanical leaf imprinting sessions
- Pinch mugs, ashtrays, and other hand-built artifacts
- Acrylic-on-bisque painting workshops
- Online shop of one-of-a-kind wheel-thrown ceramics (ships across India)
Who it's for
Our studio welcomes beginners, families with children, tourists exploring Himachal Pradesh, artists on retreat, and anyone curious about working with clay. You do not need to be an artist. You only need curiosity.
Why Rakkar
Rakkar offers something Dharamshala's main streets cannot: quiet, mountain air, and a studio where you can hear the wheel turn. We celebrate the handmade, the imperfect, and the hour you spend making something that is entirely yours.
Frequently asked questions
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How much does a pottery workshop cost?
Workshops are ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per person depending on the format. Firing is ₹500 a piece on top of that, and shipping & handling within India is ₹350 a piece. Monthly adult classes are ₹20,000 a month for eight two-hour sessions. We publish our full pricing, and what classes cost elsewhere in India, in the studio journal.
Where is Mita Pottery Studio located?
Mita Pottery Studio is on the first floor of Ghoomakkad New Building, Rakkar Road, Rakkar village, Himachal Pradesh 176057. Rakkar sits in the Kangra Valley, a short drive from Dharamshala, with views of the Dhauladhar range from our studio windows.
Who runs Mita Pottery Studio?
Madhumita Chatterjee (Mita) spent eight years as a technical and business consultant at ZS Associates before leaving to work in clay full time. She began in 2024 at a residential pottery studio in the Kangra Valley, learned glaze firing in a workshop with ceramicist Tinni Arora, volunteered in studios in Kolkata, then spent a year practising on her own setup. She opened Mita Pottery Studio in Rakkar in August 2026 and teaches every session herself.
Do I need experience for pottery classes in Dharamshala?
No experience is needed. Our pottery classes and workshops in Rakkar are designed for complete beginners as well as returning makers. Join a 2-hour workshop or a monthly course to go deeper into wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing.
What pottery workshops are available?
We run 2-hour clay workshops on any day the studio is open — pinch mugs and artifacts, botanical leaf imprinting, and guided wheel time — plus a shorter, hour-long acrylic-on-bisque painting session that goes home the same day. New formats launch regularly. Monthly classes cover the full rhythm of wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing from one to six months.
What is an acrylic-on-bisque workshop?
Acrylic on bisque — our Sip & Paint session — is a painting workshop where you decorate an already bisque-fired ceramic piece with acrylic colours. No wheel, no clay and no kiln wait: it runs for about an hour and you take the finished piece home the same day.
Are pottery classes suitable for children?
Yes. Mita Pottery Studio welcomes all ages from 5 onwards. Children, families, and adults share the same warm studio space. Hand-building and imprint workshops are especially popular with younger makers.
How long are pottery workshop sessions?
Clay workshops book a 2-hour block — about 90 minutes of making and half an hour of clean-up — bookable on any open day. Sip & Paint is shorter, around an hour, because there is no clay stage. Monthly classes run 2 hours a session, eight sessions a month, over one to six months.
What can I make in a pottery workshop?
In a single session you might hand-pinch a mug, imprint botanical leaves into clay, paint a bisque-fired piece in acrylics, or shape a small vessel on the wheel. Monthly students work through throwing, trimming, and glazing to finish functional ceramic pieces.
Will my workshop piece look professionally finished?
No, and that is the point. Workshop pieces are made by beginners, so wall thickness is rarely even on a first attempt. How well a piece can be trimmed and shaped afterwards depends entirely on how it was made — an uneven piece cannot always be tidied up without cracking. The studio tries its best to shape, trim, and finish every piece, but cannot guarantee the result, and breakage during shaping, drying, or firing is a real possibility rather than a rare exception. Expect a handmade object with natural variation, not commercial-grade perfection.
Can I buy ceramics from the studio?
Yes. Shop one-of-a-kind wheel-thrown ceramics online at mitapottery.com/shop — each piece is photographed individually and ships across India. Follow @mitapotterystudio on Instagram for kiln drops and new releases.
Is the studio near Dharamshala?
Yes. Our studio is in Rakkar village in the Kangra Valley, close to Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj. Many visitors combine a pottery session with their trip to the Dhauladhar foothills.
How do I book or contact the studio?
Call or WhatsApp us on +91 88796 54294 — that is the studio's official number. You can also reach us via Instagram at @mitapotterystudio. Visit our studio page for the full address and directions on Google Maps.
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Book a session
Pick a workshop and tell us the dates you are around — we confirm the slot on WhatsApp. Or just message +91 88796 54294 and ask us anything first.