Ranchi: Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention.

With power playing hide and seek and the mercury level soaring to torturous levels, potters of the capital city have given tradition a small twist of their skilled hands and come up with a product that ensures cold water while appearing a little more contemporary than the bulky pots that come to mind when one thinks of earthen vessels.

Enter earthen jugs and water bottles, which have become quite popular among people here.

Sudip Pal, a potter who sells these containers near Sahajanand Chowk in Harmu, said 30 to 40 people buy the new item on any given day.

Giving the vessels a more convenient shape has contributed to its popularity.

This was evident when Dr Jyoti Kumar, an anesthetist, who had just bought one of these containers, was heard explaining, "Pots are too big to keep on the dining table. This bottle can be a good replacement for the steel jug and plastic bottle. Apart from this, it will keep the water cool without any electricity."

Mukesh Kumar, an Argora businessman felt the same.

"The new product will definitely attract children who like chilled water from a refrigerator during summer. As power cuts are common and electricity costly, the new product will help beat the heat and lower the monthly expenditure," Kumar said and added that drinking water from the pots is also more healthy than refrigerated water.

Jyotirmayee Ekka, a housewife, discovered beamed, "They are so beautiful. I will keep one as a decorative for the drawing room too."

"Each small jug costs Rs 60 and the big ones cost Rs 150 each. Although one can buy a much bigger pot for that price, they don't hesitate to purchase the jugs and bottles," Sudip Pal said.

Devki Devi, another potter, was confident that the product has become a market hit.

"It is natural portable fridge of one-litre capacity available for Rs 150 only," Devi described one of the bottles before bursting into a laugh while speaking to this correspondent.