Clay Art as the Epitome of Kumal Community's Cultural Identity in Nepal

The major objective of this paper is to analyze historical cultural context of Kumal in Nepal. The study discusses the Kumal culture; Clay art or pottery is their main culture and identity. It is historical and traditional occupation of Kumal. It depicts present condition of clay art or pottery as their culture and identity. Clay art has historical and cultural significance in the sense that they were invented before invention of industrial plastic made materials and they have adopted it as long-standing traditional occupation. This research uses qualitative research methodology. Sources of information have been used primary and secondary. Various books, journals, field visit, interview, observation have been included. Mainly this study confines its approach with three districts, especially visiting Palpa, Gulmi, and Arghanchi where Kumal made clay pottery using their art technique, following the field research method of Andrew H. Van DE Ven and Marshall Scott Poole. Kumal people have been able to preserve their socio-cultural identity through clay art as being architecture. They have adopted this art as legacies of ritual performance. With the assistance of Ganesh Kumar Kumal’s notion of “Kumal Mithak, Kimbadanti ra Lokkathaharu”, the paper legitimizes the eminent practical culture in the indigenous Kumal community by analyzing the issues from culture to art. With the assistance of various exploration reports it essentially analyzes the part of social execution like clay art among kumal community.