Three more TN items win GI tag

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Thanjavur veena, Nachiarkoil villakku (lamp) and Pattamadai pai (mat) — unique products of Tamil Nadu — will shortly get the GI (Geographical Indication) tag from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Mumbai.

IPR attorney in Chennai, Mr P. Sanjay Gandhi, told Deccan Chronicle that the expert committee of the IPR has accepted the uniqueness of the three products and the GI tag would be given to them within a couple of weeks.

So far, 172 products have been given GI tags in India, including 18 products of Tamil Nadu like Kovai kora cotton sarees, Sirumalai hill banana and Swamimalai bronze icons.

According to Mr Gandhi, GI tags would prevent the sale of fake products in the open market. The traditional artisans, involved in making these unique products, would get orders from the global markets which would enrich their lives.

Tradition, exclusivity wins them GI tags

Thanjavur veena, Nachiar-koil villakku (lamp) and Pattamadai pai (mat) - products of Tamil Nadu that will shortly get the GI (Geographical Indication) tag from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), Mumbai, have unique traditions in their making.

P. Sanjay Gandhi, IPR attorney in Chennai, told DC that the expert committee of the IPR has accepted the uniqueness of the three traditional items. So far, 172 products have been given GI tags in India, including 18 products of TN like Kovai kora cotton sarees, Sirumalai hill banana and Swamimalai bronze icons.

According to Gandhi, GI tags would prevent the sale of fakes in the open market. The traditional artisans would get orders from global markets. “Unlike other veenas, matured jack wood unique to the Thanjavur area is used in the making of this veena with exquisite craftsmanship. The Viswakarma sect of people have been involved in making of this veena since the 17th century”, Gandhi said.

The unique style of making the Pattamadai mats has won it fame worldwide. According to the Gazett-eers of India, these mats were sent to Elizabeth–II for her coronation in 1953. And USSR president Mik-hail Gorbachev was presented a few, Mr Gandhi recalled.

The knack of making the Nachiarkoil lamp and the tradition handed down over the centuries are unique. The manufacture of brass and bell-metal wares has been an important occupation of a community of artisans named Pathers since 1857 at Nachiarkoil.