It has been praised for “its elegant stance and unique abstraction of basic values.” Originally used for village rituals, it now adorns drawing rooms around the world as symbols of Indian folk-art.

The outskirts of many an Indian village have a pipal tree with terracotta animal figures lying underneath it.

In order to cater to the commercial requirements of the modern global market, the village potter is often combining the traditional rural abstractions with refined urban tastes to show pieces of terracotta art.

[1] The principal centres where the terracotta horses and elephants are produced are Panchmura, Rajagram, Sonamukhi and Hamirpur.

The four legs, the full neck in two parts and the face (seven pieces in all) are turned out separately on the wheel and then joined together.