Recent news draws attention to the Sohrai Khovar painting of Jharkhand and Telia Rumal of Telangana, highlighting the distinct cultural heritage they represent. Both of these art forms have been conferred the significant Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Unveiling the Sohrai Khovar Paintings
The story of the Sohrai Khovar paintings originates from the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. This traditional mural art form, practised by local tribal women, comes to life during harvest and marriage seasons. It’s an intimate ritual that taps into the rich palette of locally available soils with varied colours.
This style of art is characterized by an intricate array of lines, dots, animal figures, and plants. Often, they carry religious iconography – visual images and symbols imbued with spiritual significance. The importance of this art form is evident as it decorates the walls of significant public places in Jharkhand, including the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi.
Understanding the Telia Rumal Art
Running parallel to the artistic narrative of the Sohrai Khovar paintings is the Telia Rumal cloth from Telangana. This detailed handloom work manifests a wide spectrum of designs and motifs in three characteristic colours – red, black, and white. Its creation is steeped in the Ikat tradition, utilizing natural vegetable dyes.
The uniqueness of the Telia Rumal is its steadfast commitment to its traditional handloom process. Its authenticity cannot be replicated through mechanical means; such attempts would only compromise its quality. This fabric has graced the wardrobes of Hyderabad’s nobility, including the Nizam’s dynasty, and has found takers as far away as the Persian Gulf, Middle East, Aden, East Africa, Singapore, and Burma.
Decoding the Geographical Indication Status
The Geographical Indication (GI) is a prestigious tag that identifies goods with special characteristics originating from certain geographical locations. The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 oversees this process, ensuring the protection of geographical indications related to goods in India.
The Controller General of Patents, Designs, and TradeMarks administers the act while also serving as the Registrar of Geographical Indications. The Geographical Indications Registry is situated in Chennai. The registration is valid for a period of ten years but can be renewed subsequently for an equivalent duration. The GI is also recognised by the World Trade Organisation’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Recent Receivers of the GI Tag
Various other notable names have been added to the GI list recently. This includes Tirur Vetilla from Kerala, Dindigul Lock and Kandangi Saree from Tamil Nadu, and Odisha Rasagola. The inclusion of these items celebrates their unique qualities and links them to their geographical origin, preserving and promoting the cultural diversity they represent.