Binay Singh, TNN Sep 9, 2010, 01.57am IST
VARANASI: The handmade carpet of Bhadohi was finally granted the Geographical Indication (GI) on September 4. With this, it has joined the league of other GI tagged products like Pochampalli, Tirupati laddu, Darjeeling tea and Banarasi silk and brocade. "The Banarasi silk saree was given the GI tag on September 3 last year," informed Rajni Kant, the director of Human Welfare Association (HWA), the organisation instrumental in getting the GI certificate for Bhadohi carpet.
It is believed that centuries ago, some Iranian master weavers stopped at Madhosingh village, near Khamaria, in Bhadohi while travelling in India. They established the first loom and manufactured the first carpet in India. Today, the Bhadohi-Mirzapur is the biggest carpet manufacturing hub of the country, exporting carpets worth Rs 2,500 crore (approx) to other countries.
"It is a great achievement for the carpet industry of this region. It will certainly provide a boost to the industry in the years to come," Ravi Patodia, former president of All India Carpet Manufacturers Association (AICMA), told TOI on Wednesday. He added he got the news of GI tag to Bhadohi carpet on Tuesday evening. The AICMA is one of the applicants for the GI. The other two applicants are the Great Bhadohi Handicraft Society and the office of joint director industries. They got active support from the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (UP Branch), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Indian Merchant Chamber, Mumbai.
According to Kant, the handmade carpet manufactured in the nine districts of the region, viz Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Sonebhadra, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jaunpur and Chandauli would be tagged with 'handmade carpet of Bhadohi'. The Mirzapur-Bhadohi is the largest handmade carpet weaving cluster, engaging around 3.2 million people. One of the prominent woven carpets is hand-knotted carpet, which is manufactured on a vertical wooden loom. The designs depicting flowers, animals, garden and tree in various manners and hues are made to liven up the floors.
Patodia said the Bhadohi-Mirzapur region was known for its rich heritage in the field of handicraft and handlooms. The area of the handmade carpet of this region is based on Gangetic plain, which is one of the most productive and typical geographical area with unique environment, climate and water quality. This cottage-based industry is eco-friendly because the natural wool, silk and cotton are biodegradable. This carpet belt of UP supports the largest hand-loomed carpet industry of the world. The hand knotting gives the carpet its essential quality - its uniqueness with own designs and colour schemes. The majority of oriental motifs used in carpet making in this region have profound meanings like the circle signifies eternity and the zigzag symbolises water and light.
"The GI status to handmade carpet would be beneficial for the manufacturers and exporters," said Ashok Kapoor, one of the carpet exporters and IACC past president. The exporters believe that it would help in checking the migration of manufacturers and exporters to other states to establish their business, who use the name of this region for their products. The joint director industries, Indra Mohan Dubey, said after getting the GI tag, further work would be done to so that the carpet industry of the region could be benefited.
Other products vying for tag too
Varanasi: Handicraft and handloom has been the main source of income for the rural population of Eastern UP, who engage themselves in various trades like carpet weaving, pottery, saree and silk fabrics weaving.
"The weaving, pottery and metal crafts have been the major activities Varanasi, Mirzapur and Sonebhadra districts for centuries," said Rajni Kant, the director of HWA.
The HWA is making efforts for the GI tags to other handicraft items of the region, like Banarasi metal repousse work, Gulabi meenakari (pink enamelling) of Varanasi, Banarasi wooden lacer wear, Banarsi kundankari, soft stone pipe carving work of Banaras, traditional brass utensils of Mirzapur, Panja dari work of Mirzapur, Chunar sand stone work, Chunar red clay pottery, Nizamabad black pottery (Azamgarh district) and Moonj decoratives, craft and toys work of Ballia and Ghazipur, Banarasi paan and Banarasi langda aam (mango). A project proposal has been submitted to the development commissioner (handicraft), Union ministry of textiles, for their registration under the GI Act.
