06/03/2026
Authenticity, passion and creativity, speak across disciplines, people of different cultures, languages and mediums. Time and again, I am reminded of this reality whenever I come across a business owner true to their craft, a teacher immersed in imparting knowledge, or just another space, that embodies the above. Often, the atmosphere of the place hits you first, the comfort, a familiar song playing in the background, a sense of ease. Amidst the hustle bustle of Hauz Khas, I found a true gem of a place, a pottery studio, named Naveen Chhaya, .16 cofounded by the duo - Aniruddh Sagar and Arti Paliwal, the place embodies slowness. The teacher, Mr Ravi is articulate, helps you understand the nuances between life, clay, and patience.
To be frank, dear reader, I struggled with slowing down on the wheel, I noticed my natural tendency to quicken the pace. My mind is naturally exploratory, overthinks, analyses, while it is a blessing in testing, ideation, creativity, it asks for a grounding force somedays. Today, was one of those days.
As soon as I touched the clay on the wheel, I didn’t realise, how quickly, an hour went by. Kitchens have had this notion of being, fast paced, steady, yet always on top of things. I realise how slowness can in fact, be a differentiator. The clay taught me to pause, reflect, and put tenderness back into my craft. It reminded me, how sometimes, in life, it is essential to surrender, and flow.
