On the banks of the Sabarmati River, at the outskirts of Ahmedabad, there is a family farmhouse where potters build terracotta horses and elephants to heights of over 2.5 metres. Rajka has been based here since 1982. Founded by Kartikeya and Rajshree Sarabhai to preserve India’s handwoven textile traditions, the atelier grew to include terracotta craftsmanship, too. Samvit Sarabhai spent his childhood watching these monumental forms emerge from wild clay and skilled hands and he now leads the practice.

Rajka works with potters from Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, where terracotta traditions stretch back over a 1000 years. Hereditary potter-priests there have placed large terracotta figures at village boundaries as offerings to Ayyanar. This guardian deity is believed to mount the horse figures at night and protect the land. Sculptures are built by hand using the coiling method, without moulds or wheels. Building in sections and assembling after firing makes possible the monumental scale these figures are known for. Rajka produces vessels, pots and objects for home and garden. The workshop is open to visitors by appointment, a residency for ceramic artists is in development, and Rajka ships its work to clients around the world.