When clay comes alive

There is something wonderfully satisfying about watching a lump of earth find its shape. In Kasaragod, an artisan works the clay with practiced hands, coaxing the spinning mass into a pot - pressing, turning, smoothing, knowing exactly when to let the clay lead and when to take over. It is an old craft, but in moments like this, it feels completely alive: earth, hands and a little bit of magic becoming something useful.