Andretta Pottery

Go for: the serene mountain setting said to be India’s oldest pottery studio, Andretta Pottery is a haven for ceramic lovers who want to delve deeper into the craft. The studio is situated smack in the middle of Andretta–an artist village in Palampur district that dates back to 1920s and is famous not only for its artistic charm but also the undisturbed beauty of the mountains. The studio is designed like an inviting semi-open space complete with a wheel throwing area, museum, and a verdant lawn that looks made for relaxing in-between sessions. If searching for some solitude, head for a walk through the verdant surroundings that are a mainstay in the village.

Sometime in the 1920’s, when the British Empire was in its days of decline, a young Irish women named Norah Richards arrived in Andretta Village. A dramatist and environmentalist lived in the village for 30 years, through the time of partition until her death in 1970.

​As she was a dramatist some of her plays were translated to Punjabi which then inspired the Punjab government  to ask her to hold theatre workshops. In her house she had an amphitheatre where she conducted plays and had her workshops. It was later she became known as the grand mother of Punjabi theatre.

​During the time of Norah, there were vibrant discussions about art, drama and the philosophy of living in a rural environment. Her ideas were very sound on how one should live in the countryside, using local materials for building houses, how you should live in harmony with nature and encourage local people to do the same. She also called Sadar Gurcharan Singh the master potter from Delhi to create a small pottery studio for summer use in Andretta.

​Much later on when his son Mansimran Singh moved to Andretta having managed to get a grant from central Delhi Government to form a rural marketing centre. This started functioning in 1985 and it encompassed theAndretta Pottery and Craft Society here which is now run by Mansimsingh & Mary Singh (Mini and Mary).