Pottery Classes & Ceramic Workshops in Dharamshala and Rakkar

About the founder

Madhumita Chatterjee — Mita — was born an artist. After eight years in corporate life, she left to spend two years learning the potter's wheel, then built this studio in Rakkar with one purpose: helping people bring their artist self out through clay. She teaches every class and workshop personally, starting each student not with technique but with touch. 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.

Classes and workshops

Monthly pottery classes run from one to six months, covering beginner through advanced wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. Weekend workshops are experience-driven 2-hour sessions, held twice over each weekend: pinch mugs and artifacts, botanical leaf imprinting, and acrylic on bisque, with new formats launching regularly.

• Monthly pottery classes (1 to 6 months, beginner to advanced)
• Weekend workshops: 2-hour sessions, two per weekend, no experience needed
• Botanical leaf imprinting sessions
• Pinch mugs, ashtrays, and other hand-built artifacts
• Acrylic-on-bisque painting workshops
• Coming soon: hand-painted underglaze decor sets and collectible food-safe glaze sets, released as monthly drops

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

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?

The studio is founded and run by Madhumita Chatterjee — Mita. Born an artist, she spent eight years in corporate life before leaving to spend two years learning the potter's wheel. She built the studio around one purpose: helping people bring their artist self out through clay.

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 weekend workshop or a monthly course to go deeper into wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing.

What pottery workshops are available?

We run weekend workshops — two 2-hour sessions over each weekend — including pinch mugs and artifacts, botanical leaf imprinting, and acrylic on bisque painting, with new formats launching 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 is a painting workshop where you decorate bisque-fired ceramic pieces with acrylic colours. No wheel or clay experience is needed — you paint a ready-fired piece and take home a finished work in a single 2-hour session.

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?

Weekend workshops run for 2 hours per session, with two sessions held over each weekend. Monthly classes follow a structured curriculum over one to six months, covering beginner through advanced wheel throwing and glazing techniques.

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?

An online shop is coming soon, with monthly drops of hand-painted underglaze decor sets and limited collectible sets in unique, food-safe glazes — no two units alike. Until then, follow @mitapotterystudio on Instagram for 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 or email hello@mitapotterystudio.com. Visit our studio page for the full address and directions on Google Maps.