Substitutes like aluminum taking the place of earthen pots and two major historical events -- communal riot in 1964 and the Liberation War in 1971 -- have taken their toll on the kumar para.

"My father made earthen tubs for flower plants. Our family was famous for making earthen flower tubs in this entire area," said Sham Chandra Pal, 70, a member of a potter family.

He traded in earthen pots before 1964, but lost everything in the riot including his flourishing business.

"We brought soil from Shekher Tek, Ring Road and Mangal Chandi of Mirpur. Rayerbazar was actually a village with over 750 ghar kumars (potter families) before 1964 and a bullock cart was a mode of transport on the mud tracts. The village spread as far as West Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur bus stand, tannery area and the canal of the Buriganga River," said Sham Chandra.

"Now we use a 'daish' instead of the wheel, which saves both time and energy -- a technique invented by me," said Sham Chandra with pride. Daish is a frame in which some soil is thrust into to make a desirable shape.

"It is very easy. Even those who never had a way with soil can also make nice pots. This is a shortcut process. It is now used in every kumar para in Bangladesh," he said.

Children of the rather affluent potter families are not interested in carrying on the tradition.

They work at various banks and offices, but the poorer ones are on the verge of extinction.

They find it very hard to survive by pottery. Many kumars are now applying for jobs in ceramic factories, which in turn is destroying the talents of original kumars.

"Mohammad Ali, a young Muslim boy would watch me work with rapt attention and one day I asked him to try his hand in it. Today he is a successful trader of earthen pots," said Sham Chandra.

"Pottery has spread to other ethnicities too. It would be surprising to note that Muslims are better potters than the original Hindu potters," said the septuagenarian potter.

His innocent remark brought smiles to the faces of Muslim apprentices who were making earthen dolls nearby.

Durga Puja is celebrated in splendour now than before the migration of kumars in Rayerbazar. It is possible because of the 2,000 Hindu and Muslim families that come together to celebrate the festival. The financial contribution of Muslims is more than Hindus.

"We also celebrate Pahela Baishakh and Chaitra Shangkranti. But our children do not like the traditional food like muri (puffed rice), chira, chhatu, yogart, on these occasions. They prefer to have pilau, korma and biriyani," said Sham Chandra sadly.

"I am the last potter in my family," said Maran Chand Pal, a member of the potter community and a teacher of Charukala.

"Both kumars and non-kumars who are getting proper training from BISCIC and other NGOs are doing excellently in the pottery field. I also train students in my house. I have so far, trained 400 people at home free of cost and give them a stipend when possible," said Maran Chand.

Bangladeshi earthen pots and other showpieces are exported to England, America, Japan and Scandinavian countries, a matter of prestige to the potter artists. NGOs like Karika, Aarong, Shetuli and others are doing the exports. All these are done on private or personal initiatives.

"There are many hidden talents the kumars have. These vocations can flourish if proper training can be given. In Khurja of Uttar Pradesh, the Indian government is supplying all the raw materials to the 400 ceramic factories and is buying the finished product. We expect this kind of support from Export Promotion Bureau for pottery because our goods have a very great demand in European countries," he said.