All workshops
2 hours10 and upBeginner — no experience needed

Make a Ceramic Candle Holder in Dharamshala

Hand-build a little chamberstick candle holder with a loop handle and a wavy saucer, then paint it with tiny flowers, hearts or bows.

A two-hour candle holder workshop at Mita Pottery Studio in Rakkar, Dharamshala. You hand-build a chamberstick with a loop handle and a wavy saucer, sized for a taper or a tealight, and paint it with tiny flowers or hearts. ₹1,800 per person with glaze and firing included. Ready 3–6 weeks later.

Illustration of three hand-painted chamberstick candle holders with flowers and hearts by a windowIllustration

Duration

2 hours — 90 min making, 30 min clean-up

Group size

Up to 6 guests

Price

₹1,800 / person

Firing

Clay, glaze and firing included

Skill level

Beginner — no experience needed

Age

10 and up

Takeaway

After firing · 3–6 weeks

What you'll take home

Illustration of a cream chamberstick candle holder with a loop handle and painted flowersIllustration
Holds
A taper candle or a tealight
Form
Chamberstick with a handle and wavy saucer
Finish
Hand-painted underglaze, clear glaze over

Illustration. Yours will be shaped by your own hands.

Before you book

  • Glazing takes 3–6 weeks

    Two firings, so finished pieces are ready 3–6 weeks later.

  • Glaze & firing included

    The price covers clay, glaze and both firings; shipping & handling is ₹350 a piece.

  • Fees are non-refundable

    Fixed rates, no discounts, and no refunds — including no-shows.

  • Handmade, not commercial

    Beginner pieces sometimes break in the making — that's normal.

  • Trimming and shaping can't be promised

    Uneven first-attempt walls can't always be trimmed — we try, no guarantees.

  • Extra time is ₹1,500/hour

    Sessions run for the booked duration; longer is ₹1,500 an hour.

Full studio terms are below — worth two minutes before you request a slot.

Request a slot

Tell us when suits you. We'll confirm the exact time and hold your spot on WhatsApp — usually within a few hours.

1 · Preferred date

Leave it blank if you'd rather we suggest a date.

2 · Time that suits you
3 · Guests
1

₹1,800 × 1₹1,800Glaze & firing included

4 · Your name & note
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Hi Mita Pottery Studio! I'd like to request a workshop slot.

*Workshop:* Ceramic Candle Holder (2 hours)
*Preferred date:* Flexible — suggest a date
*Preferred time:* Flexible — any time
*Guests:* 1 · ₹1,800 total, glaze & firing included
*Name:* —

Sent from the workshop page on mitapottery.com
Send request on WhatsApp

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Prefer to call? +91 88796 54294

A chamberstick is the old carry-to-bed candle holder: a cup for the candle, a saucer to catch the wax, a handle to hold. Made by hand, it comes out a little wobbly and very charming, which is exactly the point.

The painting is the joy of it. Small flowers, hearts, bows or dots in underglaze turn a simple form into something that looks like it came from a much older house.

What you'll do

You pinch or press a saucer and give it a wavy rim, then build the candle cup on top, sized for a taper or a tealight. Madhumita shows you how to roll a coil handle, plain or twisted, and attach it so it is strong enough to carry.

Once it holds its shape, you paint it with underglaze: a scatter of tiny flowers, a ring of hearts, little bows, or a single colour band. A clear glaze goes over the top.

The session, step by step

  1. 01Welcome, chai, and finished candle holders to look at
  2. 02Shape the saucer and its wavy rim
  3. 03Build the candle cup for a taper or a tealight
  4. 04Roll and attach the handle, plain or twisted
  5. 05Paint flowers, hearts or bows in underglaze
  6. 06Clear glaze; the studio fires it

The session, in motion

  • Hands holding a fine brush to paint a small ceramic piece

    A small brush, a steady hand

  • Unglazed cups and dishes stacked on shelves inside a kiln

    Into the kiln

Ideas to start from

Directions guests often take. Bring one, mix two, or arrive with nothing and decide at the table.

  • Illustration of a candle holder painted with small red heartsIllustration

    Tiny hearts

  • Illustration of a chamberstick with a wavy saucer painted with little red bowsIllustration

    Little bows

  • Illustration of a tealight holder with a twisted handle and a painted pink flowerIllustration

    A twisted handle, for tealights

  • Illustration of a sage-green chamberstick candle holder with no patternIllustration

    One colour, no pattern

What's included

Clay, all tools, underglazes and brushes, guidance throughout, chai, and both firings. Glaze and firing are included.

Wear & bring

Nothing. A favourite candle, if you'd like to check the fit.

Who this is for

Anyone who loves soft light in the evenings, friends making gifts for each other, and people who enjoy small, decorative painting.

Meet Madhumita

Madhumita founded Studio Mita in Rakkar and teaches every session herself. Small tables, one person guiding six at most, and time to get the detail right rather than rushing to the clean-up.

— ceramic artist & founder, Studio Mita

Read her full story

Studio terms

What to expect, in full

These apply to every session at the studio. Please read them before requesting a slot — booking means you're happy with them.

Glazing takes 3–6 weeks

Glazing involves two separate firings, so your piece is ready 3–6 weeks after the session. We'll message you as soon as it's out of the kiln — there's no need to follow up before then, as firing times can't be sped up regardless of check-ins. Pieces not collected within one month of being ready are discarded, as we have limited storage space.

Glaze & firing included

Yes. The workshop price covers the session, your clay allowance, tools, guidance, glaze and both firings — there is nothing to pay per piece afterwards. Each workshop's price is set by the piece you make: how much clay it takes and how much kiln space. Studio pickup is free; if you'd like your finished piece sent to you, shipping & handling within India is ₹350 per piece.

Fees are non-refundable

Our rates are fixed and don't include discounts. Fees are non-refundable, including no-shows and cancellations.

Handmade, not commercial

This is studio pottery — handmade, one piece at a time, with natural variation from one piece to the next. It won't look like the smooth, uniform finish of commercial ceramics, and that's the point, not a flaw. Since workshop pieces are made by beginners, breakage during the process — while shaping, drying, or firing — is a real possibility, not a rare exception. Glaze results can also vary. This is a normal part of learning pottery, and the studio isn't responsible for pieces that don't survive the process.

Trimming and shaping can't be promised

Whether a piece can be trimmed and shaped properly depends entirely on how it was made. First attempts rarely come out at a consistent thickness, and walls that are uneven — too thin in one place, too heavy in another — can't always be trimmed to a clean profile without the piece collapsing or cracking. We'll always try our best to shape and trim what you've made, but we can't guarantee the outcome. Please don't come expecting commercial-grade perfection from a first build; the wobble is the honest record of your own hands.

Extra time is ₹1,500/hour

Sessions run for the booked duration. Additional time beyond that is ₹1,500 per hour.

What the session covers

Extra requests like jewellery, charms, or pieces outside the workshop scope aren't included — the same goes for underglazing and choosing specific glaze colours. All of it can be discussed as a separate add-on booking if you're interested, so do ask.

Your pace, your piece

Everyone's creative pace is different. We'll guide you through the process, but pottery takes practice — we don't guarantee a specific outcome, and that's part of what makes each piece genuinely yours.

Damage in transit

Pieces are packaged carefully, but we're not responsible for damage once they leave the studio.

Photography at the studio

We may photograph the studio and finished pieces for our social media. Let us know if you'd prefer not to be included.

More about this workshop

Does it fit taper candles or tealights?

Either. You size the cup before you build: a taper cup about 2.2 cm wide, or a tealight cup.

Is it heat-safe?

Yes. It is kiln-fired stoneware, safe under a burning candle. Never leave a candle unattended.

Do I need to be good at painting?

No. Tiny flowers and hearts are a few dabs of a small brush, and Madhumita shows you how.

Can I make a tealight holder instead?

Yes, a short cup with a twisted handle works beautifully for tealights.

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Cancellation

Fees are non-refundable, including no-shows and cancellations. Tell us as early as you can if plans change.

Accessibility

The studio is on the 1st floor, stairs only. Call or WhatsApp +91 88796 54294 in advance with accessibility questions.

Getting here

First Floor, Ghoomakkad New Bldg, Rakkar Rd, Rakkar, Himachal Pradesh 176057. Directions

₹1,800/ person

2 hours · any open day

Request a slot