mitti

Mitti is a common noun in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning soil, earth, or dirt. In Hindi and Urdu it denotes the material that covers the ground and serves as the medium for plant growth; the term is also widely used in Marathi, Konkani and Punjabi with the same sense. The word is derived from the Sanskrit matti/matti, attested in terms for earth and soil.

In agriculture and horticulture, mitti refers to the growing medium for crops and gardens. Its character depends on texture (sandy, loamy, clayey) and fertility. Soil management emphasizes organic matter, proper nutrient balance, and pH control to maintain structure, water retention, and microbial activity. Soil health is a central concern in sustainable farming, and issues such as erosion, compaction, and contamination affect mitti quality.

In crafts and construction, mitti also denotes clay used to make pottery, bricks, and terracotta items. This clay may be sun-dried (terracotta) or fired in kilns to harden it. Traditional crafts in South Asia and elsewhere have long relied on mitti clay for wares, building bricks, and decorative objects.

Culturally, mitti evokes the earth as a source of life and memory in literature and poetry, with phrases celebrating the scent of rain on mitti and the bond between people and their homeland.

See also: soil science, terracotta, pottery, clay, soil degradation.