Tea Culture And Terracota Bhar Cups In India

Home to the world's most rooted civilizations, India has an important culture that effectively maintains its traditions by continuing the traces of the past from generation to generation. The country which values its cultural heritage, however, continues its traditional pottery production today. Traditional terracotta production in the country dates back to ancient times, and clay soils are extracted from natural beds in many different regions; it turns into utensils, crafts, and art. One of the most used terracotta productions is Bhar, which is disposable teacups. Today, terracotta cups for drinking tea are in high demand by people throughout the country. Indian teas with rooted tea culture and different tastes are mostly drunk in Bhars, which are preferably shaped on a potter's lathe with traditional methods. These terracotta cups, which are fired in traditional kilns at low temperatures and made ready for use, are produced daily by potters. In this research, the tea culture unique to India and the terracotta Bhar cups included in this culture and taken for granted by the society were examined. In this context; the processes related to the traditional production methods of terracotta teacups, the cultural and traditional dimension of Bhar use, the socio-economic status of pottery manufacturers, the environmental factor arising from the disposable use of the cups are discussed.