The Sirutekki is basically, an indigenous earthenware pot used by the Khond tribe. Among all tribes in Odisha, they are one of the age-old, oldest and most culturally rich indigenous communities. This earthen handmade pot forms an essential part of household possessions, signifying both utilitarian and artistic aspects of the everyday life of this tribe. The Khonds live along hills and forests and have always depended on nature-materials and traditional techniques for making durable and sustainable tools used for day-to-day life.A Spherical body safely design of such a pot for the greatest storage power of water: It has a small neck leading to a narrow circular opening that helps to minimize spilling and evaporation. It is made with clay from the neighborhood and entirely shaped and baked in open fires or rudimentary kilns according to ancient practices handed down from generation to generation.
One of the most distinguishing features of the Sirutekki is the carving of thin engraved designs below the neck region. These aptly put pictures are not just decorative but may actually have cultural or symbolic importance related to the tribal identity and heritage. The surface, however, is generally unglazed, allowing for slight cooling of the water kept inside due to natural evaporation-an eco-friendly phenomenon that happened with traditional earthenwares.It mainly serves to store drinking water, and thus it finds a common place in every Khond household. Besides being a simple water pot, it also serves to tell about the way they live their lives very self-sufficiently while respecting nature. Presently, such things are being showcased in several museums, including the Indian Museum, Kolkata, and they surely tell a lot about what continues to this day of tribal legacy.