Heritage HutsShilpgramTraditional Village Huts
The Kothi Collection
The Kothi Collection almost entirely devoted to Kothi, the containers commonly used to store food grains in the rural areas. They may be made of mud, dung, bamboo, grass or whatever other local materials are available and suitable. The style also has a bearing on the handwork traditions of the area. Particularly noteworthy are those Kothi’s that have been constructed from mud. On several, decorative work have been applied; mud relief, mirror mosaic and various earth colours, transforming the kothis from mundane items, into functional works of art.

A humble Kothi is the most important possession in many a tribal hut. Though without conventional furniture, toilet facilities or a fridge, the tribe’s people are rarely without a kothi. In addition to the kothis, there is a small number of other items associated with Indian village life.
- Water pot from Gujarat made from fired clay. This pot has been decorated with pieces of mirror mosaic m an art form known as untucking work.
- A RebariKothi, from Kutch, Gujarat. It is made of a mixture of mud and horse or donkey droppings, which are more fibrous than cow dung. The surface is coated with a mirror mosaics, favored by the Rebaris.
- A dhol Kothi from Rajasthan, of mud and dung, bearing motifs, of the sun, birds, trees, and swastika.
- AKothi product by the Meghwal community from Gujarat’s Banni region. It is fashioned out of a mixture of mud and dung, studded with mirrors and coated with a reddish paint made from geru.
- A Gujarati Kothi, made from mud and dung, with a simple, stylized design. Unlike many other kothis, which bear a bunghole near the base, this Kothi is only open at the top. and has a lid to protect the contents.
- A kothi from the desert village of Rama. It was made by a Bhil potter and is made of unfired clay. It is for storing a Bajra, a grain used for the making olchapatlis.
- A cow dung and mud statue of a woman, adorned with earrings, a nose ring, a necklace and bangles.
- A Dang kothi from south Gujarat, Made of wicker, it was once coated with a mixture of mud and dung. Its purpose was primarily for the storage of rice paddy.
- A large Rebari kothi, from the Kutch region of Gujarat, decorated in the typical Rebari style, though lacking the mirror work.
- A water pot from Gujarat made from fired clay. This pot has been decorated with pieces of mirror mosaic in an art form known as ” ardaek “work.
- A mud and dung kothi from Gujarat, simply decorated, coated with gen; and ornamented with a minimal amount of ” ardaekwork “
- A pathwari from Rajasthan. One would be placed in a village to commemorate a pilgrimage to one of the holy Hindu sites. Apart from this, they serve no purpose. This example depicts the goddess, Ganga Mata on the front, with elephant and lotus flower motifs. To the sides are images of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva..