Image of Asia: Newly made earthen pots ready for the oven

In this photo by Channi Anand, a potter carries newly made earthen pots as he prepares to store them inside his house on the outskirts of Jammu, India. He will keep the pots in storage until he has enough to take to an oven in the village where he and other potters have the vessels baked to harden them. They are then ready to sell, with the smallest pots carrying a price of about 50 cents each. The earthen pots are in demand in the summer to store cool water, even in homes that have taps. Many Indians favour the taste of water stored in the traditional pots and believe it is healthier than water cooled in a refrigerator or modern water coolers.