New entries in GI Registry of Tamil Nadu
The Geographical Indications Registry (herein after referred to as ‘GIR’) in Chennai has recently granted Geographical Indication (hereinafter referred to as ‘GI’) tag to Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul locks and Kandangi Sarees, this takes the total number of such indigenous products in Tamil Nadu that have been granted GI tag to 31.
The GIR for Dindigul Lock has been granted to Hardware and Steel Furniture Workers Industrial Co-operative Society Limited and the Amrar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Weavers Cooperative Production and Sales Society Limited, that applied for the GI tag, with exclusive rights over the respective products.
Dindigul Locks
• The quality and durability of the Dindigul locks separate them from the others. The manufacturing of the locks was started by Sankaralingachari Brothers and the 150 years old lock-making industry comprises of more than 3,125 manufacturing units located in Kodaiparailpatti, Kamalapatti, Nagelnagar, Nallampatti, and Yagappanpatti.
• There are more than 50 varieties of locks made by artisans in a region that has abundance of iron using raw materials such as MS flat plates and brass plates.
• Every lock made by them has a different style and a unique name such as square lock, mango lock, excise lock, mango seven levers lock and mango eight levers lock.
• From prisons to hospitals to temples, these locks are preferred over machine-made locks in most of Tamil Nadu.
Kandangi Sarees
• Kandangi sarees are handwoven sarees manufactured in the Karaikudi Taluk of Sivaganga District.
• The famous feature of these sarees is the long contrasting borders that sometimes cover even 2/3rd of the entire saree.
• The cotton sarees are made by the weavers of Devanga Chettiars for women of the Chettiar Community.
Know more about Geographical Indications (GI).