Nitin Soma, a potter from Hyderabad celebrates Dakhni in his works

Nitin Soma at one of his clay workshops
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

A mug with a dent, a saucer resembling a crooked steel plate, and a bowl etched with a dialogue — potter Nitin Soma’s claywork challenges perceptions, making one mistake it for metal. At Soma Pottery, his studio in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Nitin gives his creations unconventional shapes, allowing clay to take its own form rather than imposing rigid control.

Much of his work, he says, is an ode to Nature. With a background in fashion design, he plays with colours and textures to enhance the raw beauty of each piece. “My design style is influenced by my surroundings. Nothing in Nature conforms to a boxed form. I like to bring that fluidity and organic shape into my work,” he explains.

Nitin at work
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangements

Nitin learned pottery in 2022 at Andretta Pottery near Palampur, Himachal Pradesh — one of the country’s oldest pottery studios. He spent three months training under Subham Sankhyan, who currently runs Andretta.

His time at Andretta was largely focused on understanding form. Observing the work of various potters, he developed an appreciation for each artist’s unique design elements, the thought process behind colour choices, and, most importantly, the raw naturalness, which drew him in.

As he spent more time at the potter’s wheel, his perception of perfection in pottery evolved. “Perfection in handmade pottery is not about straight lines, sharp squares, or flawless circles. The key element of handmade pottery is its imperfection. That’s what sets it apart from factory-made goods—it cannot be replicated,” he explains.

Works for Nitin Soma
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangements

After his time at Andretta, Nitin continued his pottery journey at Dharamkot Studio, where he further explored different styles of work. “The more we see, the more we learn,” he reflects. “A potter once told me—when nothing in this world is definite or perfect, why should handmade pottery conform to framed shapes?”

Nitin established his studio in 2023. He also holds pottery classes at his studio and his words of advice to every student is “pottery is not to be done in haste. Give it your time and it will surprise you with its beauty.” The textures in his pottery, he says, are deeply connected to his background in textile design. “My need to add texture to clayware comes from childhood memories of watching my grandmother weave wire and leaf baskets. It was the texture of those simple baskets that made them so beautiful,” he shares.

Another striking element of Nitin’s work is his choice of colours—understated yet impactful. In some pieces, he allows his stain-style colouring to stand out as the sole design feature, letting the hues speak for themselves.

A saucer with a dialogue
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangements

“Style is all about colour and simplicity, personally I like understated styles which is why I keep everything minimalistic. The other factor that influences my design is the conversation starter. Growing up in Hyderabad, Dakhni (Hyderabadi) is close to my heart. I feel all the more excited when people from other states take interest in it. So, I decided to add words that are mostly understood by all. Words like ‘kaiko’ (why), ‘potta’ (boy), ‘potti’ (girl), ‘aisech’ (just like that) and so on,” adds Nitin. 

There are some pieces of Nitin’s that has sentences in Dakhni. Some of them are ‘potta loves potti,’ ‘seedha jakey right jana,’‘baigan ka baatan nakko karo.’“Why should only ‘potta love potti’ (boy loves girl), so I did a ‘potti’ loves ‘potta’ (girl loves boy), followed by ‘potta loves potta’ and ‘potti loves potti’. Inclusive and also a conversation starter,” adds Nitin.