Kailash Devi

Kailash Devi has practised the Molela terracotta craft for over thirty-four years. She is a National Merit Awardee and holds multiple prestigious honours for her artistry. Following her marriage into the Kumhar family, she received rigorous training in the intricate heritage craft under the guidance of her husband and mentor, Dinesh Chandra Kumhar.

For generations the gender division of labour in Molela was strictly rigid: men sculpted the sacred votive plaques and handled firing in the bhatti kiln, while women were limited to sieving river clay, mixing donkey manure and sawdust, and preparing clay dough. Kailash Devi broke these centuries-old barriers to become the first female terracotta master sculptor in Molela’s history.

She specialises in monumental, highly detailed relief panels portraying Rajasthani village life — vibrant rural weddings, harvest and fieldwork, domestic chores, and epic mythological narratives from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Her hollow relief sculptures are celebrated for expressive folk dynamism and intricate surface detailing.

She also pioneered an entirely new category within the heritage craft: Molela terracotta jewellery. Hand-modelling river silt into delicate beads, jhumkas, pendants, and regal collar necklaces, her pieces are pit-fired and coloured with mineral pigments and natural lacquers, opening an expansive aesthetic beyond the traditional terracotta red.

She directs the jewellery line under her signature brand, Mridika. A passionate mentor, Kailash Devi has trained and empowered over 2,000 students, craftspersons, and women through masterclasses, summer training camps, and seminars at institutions including Sanskriti Museum, Jawahar Kala Kendra, and the National Crafts Museum.

Documentary & Recognition