Peshawar Pottery exhibition on cards

Aim is to create awareness in youth about the lost art

PESHAWAR:

Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN), a civil society organization working for preservation of cultural and archaeological heritage, has decided to revive the lost glory of Peshawar Pottery - a showroom which sold the local made pottery by organizing an exhibition of the last remaining pieces.

“We have decided to collect artifacts prepared by skilled workers of ‘Peshawar Pottery’ and put on display at a suitable site to apprise people that how beautiful clay pots and decoration pieces were produced by the artisans of Peshawar city,” comments Zahoor Durrani.

“Peshawar Pottery was a showroom of 150 years old art of making both ornamental and utilitarian earthen goods which were presented to visiting dignitaries as a memento of their visit to oldest living city of South Asia,” Zahoor said while talking to APP.

The showroom was located inside Peshawar city at Shahwali Qatal area in the vicinity of ancestral home of Bollywood top star, Shah Rukh Khan. Due to enchanting beauty, unique art and best standard, the items prepared by Peshawar Pottery were considered as ‘pride of Peshawar’ and were presented abroad in exhibitions besides giving them prominent mention in guides prepared for facilitation of international tourists intending to visit Pakistan, he added.

The Peshawar Pottery was owned by a senior dweller of Peshawar, Rauf Seemab who inherited the art of pottery making from his father and preserved the skill and business for around 80 years. In 2011, octogenarian, Rauf Seemab died and famous Peshawar Pottery closed down after remaining operational for around 150 years, starting from 1860. Khalifa Mehmood, grand father of Rauf Seemab established Peshawar Pottery in 1860 after learning the art from an Iranian artisans. Kalifa Daud, father of Rauf Seemab, also received a walking stick as a token of appreciation from Lady Wellington, wife of the viceroy of pre-partition India, Sir Wellington.

Among the artifacts of Peshawar Pottery some were very unique because of being more than 100 years old which were preserved and protected by Rauf Seemab and are now in the custody of his children, six daughters and grand children, Zahoor Durrani disclosed.

He said SCN wanted to convince children of Rauf Seemab and put the artifacts of Peshawar Pottery at display for showing to local people and visiting tourists. He also informed that SCN is in contact with a daughter of late Rauf Seemab who now dwells in Islamabad and had shown encouraging response to the suggestion.

Zahoor Durrani said SCN wanted to set up a display center to exhibit old culture and traditions of Peshawar including Qarakuli Cap, favorite Peshawari Chappal, Peshawari Qula (turban), copper pots with engraving etc.