All workshops
90 minutes10 and upBeginner — no experience needed

Make Pinch-Pot Chai Cups (Kulhad-Style) in Dharamshala

Pinch a pair of handle-less chai cups from a ball of clay, kulhad-style, glazed inside so they hold tea for years rather than one roadside cup.

A 90-minute pinch-pot workshop at Mita Pottery Studio in Rakkar, Dharamshala. You pinch a pair of handle-less, kulhad-style chai cups from clay, glazed inside for daily use. ₹1,800 per person with food-safe glaze and firing included. The cups are ready to collect 3–6 weeks later.

Illustration of a pair of kulhad-style pinch-pot cups filled with steaming chaiIllustration

Duration

90 minutes — 75 min making, 15 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 two empty pinch-pot chai cups, glazed insideIllustration
Pieces
A pair of chai cups, about 120 ml each
Finish
Food-safe glaze inside; outside raw or glazed
Care
Microwave- and dishwasher-safe

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
Preview your message
Hi Mita Pottery Studio! I'd like to request a workshop slot.

*Workshop:* Pinch-Pot Chai Cups (90 minutes)
*Preferred date:* Flexible — suggest a date
*Preferred time:* Flexible — any time
*Guests:* 1 · ₹1,800 total, glaze & firing included
*Name:* —

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Send request on WhatsApp

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Prefer to call? +91 88796 54294

The kulhad is the cup every chai stall in India hands you, and the one everyone throws away. These keep the shape (the narrow foot, the slight flare, the way it sits in a palm) and add a glaze inside so they last.

They are pinched, not thrown: a ball of clay, two thumbs, slow turns. It is the oldest way of making a cup, and the most personal, because every press is yours.

What you'll do

Madhumita shows you how to open a ball of clay with your thumb and pinch the wall up evenly as you turn it, a little at a time, so it stays round and thin. You shape the kulhad silhouette or a straight espresso cup, set a foot, and press a thumb rest into the side if you like.

Then you choose the finish. A glazed inside with the outside left raw is the classic kulhad look; a two-tone dip or a full glaze both work. Make a matching pair, or one each if you come as two.

The session, step by step

  1. 01Welcome, chai (in someone else's cup, for now)
  2. 02Open the clay and pinch the wall up
  3. 03Shape the kulhad flare or a straight cup
  4. 04Set the foot and add a thumb rest
  5. 05Make the second cup to match
  6. 06Choose a glaze: inside only, dipped, or full

The session, in motion

  • Two pairs of hands pressing a ball of grey clay on a plaster bat

    Pressing out the base

  • Two hands pinching the wall of a small clay bowl

    Pinching the wall up

  • 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 two pinch cups half-dipped in deep blue glazeIllustration

    Half-dipped

  • Illustration of four small espresso-size pinch cups on a wooden trayIllustration

    A set of four, espresso size

  • Illustration of a pinch cup with a thumbprint dimple on its sideIllustration

    A thumb rest

  • Illustration of two pinch cups, one rust and one creamIllustration

    One each

What's included

Clay, all tools, guidance throughout, chai, and both firings with a food-safe glaze. Glaze and firing are included.

Wear & bring

Nothing. Short fingernails make pinching easier.

Who this is for

Tea drinkers, couples who want one cup each, and anyone who wants a first piece that is used every single day.

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

Are they food- and microwave-safe?

Yes. The inside is glazed in a food-safe finish and the cups are fired to stoneware temperature, so they are microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

How big are they?

A chai cup holds about 120 ml, like a roadside kulhad. You can make them smaller for espresso.

Is the kulhad glazed inside?

Yes. Traditional kulhads are unglazed and single-use; these are glazed inside so they can be washed and used for years.

Can a couple make one each?

Yes. Book a seat each and you each make a pair, so you go home with four.

I want a mug with a handle. Is this the right workshop?

For a handled mug, book Make Your Own Mug. This workshop makes handle-less cups.

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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

90 minutes · any open day

Request a slot