Mythological Trail of Manav Sangrahalaya
Potters are commonly known as Kumhars or the earthen pot maker. In Kutchh region of India, the eunuch community regards the potter and his wife as its parents. They seek blessings and offer gifts to them on main occasions. But there is an ancient story behind this ritual. In early days a potter used to take six months to bake his pots. On one such day, when the potter just burnt the kiln, a group of eunuchs chased by the king’s soldiers took refuge inside the large vessel kept in the kiln. The potter warned them but still they decided to hide inside. The soldiers searched them all over the house and left in disappointment. The tired potter felt asleep after lighting the fire. He saw a dream in which he heard a voice proclaiming that his pots had turned golden. This didn’t make any difference to him. He heard the same voice again, stating that his pots had turned silver. Again, it did not cheer him up. The voice again said that half of his pots have baked and others have remained unbaked. This time he rushed to the kiln and was pleasantly surprised to see the eunuchs alive inside the unbaked pots. The potter could have made choice of golden or silver pots out of greed, but he chose to save the lives.
