Dhanak Black Pottery: Gujarat’s Natural Teflon

Posted: 24/04/2026 by MAGIK INDIA

Imagine a kitchen utensil capable of rivaling Teflon, yet born of the earth, long before the industrial era. Deep within the dense forests of Chhota Udepur, in Gujarat, the Dhanak community jealously guards an ancestral secret: lacquered pottery. Here, tribal ingenuity outpaces modern technology to offer a healthy, eco-friendly, and naturally non-stick way of cooking.

It was not until my third journey to the Chhota Udepur district that the veil was lifted on this little-known craft. My visit to the Adivasi Academy, a fervent guardian of India’s indigenous art, served as the catalyst for this pivotal encounter with the Dhanak potters.

The Dhanak village lies hidden behind a labyrinth of forest paths. Several times, we had to roll down the window to ask for directions, so as not to get lost amidst this lush green scenery.

The dwellings of the Dhanak mirror their way of life: simple and rooted in the earth, constructed from walls of brick and palm fronds, and topped with earthen tile roofs. As members of the “Scheduled Tribes,” the Dhanak are deeply embedded in the landscape of Gujarat and its neighboring states, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Their very name, derived from Dhanush (the bow), whispers the history of a proud people, once hunter-gatherers and forest warriors, now masters of the land.

In Chhota Udepur, this community lives in close proximity to the Rathwas, who are renowned for their Pithora paintings. Although neighbours, the Dhanak distinguish themselves through their specialisation in utilitarian pottery.

A Manufacturing Secret: Insect Lacquer

What makes black pottery unique is not only its dark and elegant colour, but its internal coating.

Freshly removed from the kiln and still glowing red-hot, the pottery is coated by the artisan with a stick of natural lacquer. This resin is secreted by the female Kerria lacca (an Asian scale insect), which produces this substance to protect its body by forming a cocoon on the branches of host trees.

Upon contact with the scorching clay, the resin melts instantly, saturating the pores of the material and creating a protective film. Thanks to this natural glazing, it combines perfect impermeability with a non-stick surface, ideal for healthy cooking, while offering remarkable resistance to both the acidic properties of food and temperature fluctuations.

The Dhanak Pottery Process

Shaping a piece is a ballet of precisely measured gestures, orchestrated by the women of the community. Guardians of the craft, they oversee the crucial stages of pottery-making: polishing with ochre and the meticulous application of lacquer.

Soil Preparation

Artisans harvest a specific type of clay from local riverbeds. It is mixed with fine sand and, sometimes, organic fibers to ensure that the pot does not crack during high-temperature firing.

Hand-shaping

Unlike traditional wheel-thrown pottery, the pieces are formed by beating the clay onto inverted moulds (old pots) until a thin, regular shape is achieved.

Polishing with “Geru”

Before firing, the pot is coated with Geru (red ochre). It is this step combined with a specific firing process that gives the pieces their satiny, almost metallic finish.

Open-Air Firing

The pieces are fired in the open air beneath branches from local trees (such as the Tad palm), a process that sometimes imparts characteristic dark or earthy hues. The temperature rises rapidly, and it is immediately upon removal from the kiln that the crucial lacquering stage takes place.

The pottery is fired under the branches of local trees such as the Tad palm | Photo : Adivasi Academy

The design of these pieces, stripped of all artifice, is dictated by the rituals of Indian cuisine. The tava, a wide, shallow pan, is the perfect ally for searing chapatis. For slow cooking, the kadai is used: a concave pot whose heavy lid locks in the flavors of curries and lentils. Finally, the poti, a small bowl with high sides, completes the set, serving to heat or serve everyday dishes.

Dhanak women showing her creations to me

These black pottery pieces will make their way to the stalls of the haats (the weekly tribal markets) where they will be offered for sale, delicately protected by sal leaves.

The pottery is wrapped in Sal leaves and carried to the weekly tribal markets | Photo : Adivasi Academy

Why adopt this “Dhanak” cooking method?

At the intersection of health and ecology, these pieces of pottery tick all the boxes. Their composition is impeccable: no chemicals, no synthetic coatings ; just a raw marriage of earth and natural lacquer. In the kitchen, they reveal the authentic essence of flavors.

My masala ratatouille, concocted in the *kadai* I bought from the Dhanak potters 🙂

Bringing these objects into your home also means actively supporting a local community and safeguarding a centuries-old craft threatened by cheap, mass-produced alternatives.

The Adivasi Academy, a necessary bridge

Despite its incredible qualities, the pottery of Chhota Udepur is under threat. The number of artisans is dwindling, and the process is physically grueling and poorly remunerated.

Nevertheless, a revival is underway, driven by committed institutions such as the Adivasi Academy in Tejgadh. Working hand in hand with the Dhanak people, the academy strives to restore the prestige of this “black gold” of Gujarat. Founded in 1999 by the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, this institution has made it its mission to revitalize ancestral knowledge by adapting it to the challenges of the modern world.

Weavers crafting Kasota at the Adivasi Academy

Moreover, this commitment to preservation extends beyond the realm of terracotta, as evidenced by the successful revival of the Kasota, the traditional loincloth of the Rathwa community. Through its various projects, the Academy implements a comprehensive strategy aimed at fostering the autonomy of artisans while safeguarding the cultural integrity of tribal Gujarat in the face of standardization.

MEET THE POTTERS AND THE RATHWA PEOPLE