Geographical

Indications
Textiles & Handicrafts

Master of Fashion Management

FASHION MANAGEMENT STUDEIS DEPARTMENT NIFT-MUMBAI
 This document is based on secondary sources of information. This
document is for referring to various geographical indications in India
in the textiles and handicrafts categories.

Compiled by

Aanshik Seth & Kartik Bhalla

Edited by

Sauumye Chauhan & Yogesh Sharma

Contents
Varanasi Wooden And Lacquerware (U.P.) ............................................................................................ 3
Mirzapur Handmade Dari (U.P)............................................................................................................... 3
Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft (U.P.) ................................................................................................... 3
Joynagar Moa (West Bengal) ................................................................................................................. 4
Makrana Marble (Rajasthan) .................................................................................................................. 4
Khurja Pottery (U.P.) ............................................................................................................................... 4
MEERUT SCISSORS (U.P.) ....................................................................................................................... 5
LEATHER TOYS OF INDORE (M.P.) ........................................................................................................... 5
KANGRA PAINTINGS (H.P.) ...................................................................................................................... 5
Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee And Moirang Phee (Manipur) ........................................................ 6
Thewa Art Work (Rajasthan) ................................................................................................................... 6
Warli Painting (Maharashtra) ................................................................................................................. 6
Dharmavaram Handloom Pattu Sarees and Paavadas ........................................................................... 7
Saharanpur Wood Craft (U.P.) ............................................................................................................... 7
Moradabad Metal Craft (U.P.) ................................................................................................................ 8
Firozabad Glass (U.P.) ............................................................................................................................. 8
KULLU SHAWLS (H.P.) ............................................................................................................................. 8
Patan Patola ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Lucknow Zardozi (U.P.) ........................................................................................................................... 9
Farrukhabad Prints (U.P.) ...................................................................................................................... 10
AGRA DURRIE ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Thanjavur Veenai (Tamil Nadu) ............................................................................................................ 10
Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku ...................................................................................................................... 11
Toda Embroidery (Tamil Nadu) ............................................................................................................. 11
Narayanpet Handloom Sarees (Telangana) .......................................................................................... 11
Pattamadai Pai (Tamilnadu) .................................................................................................................. 12
Mangalagiri Sarees and Fabrics ............................................................................................................ 12
Bhagalpur Silk (Bihar) ............................................................................................................................ 12
Varanasi Wooden And Lacquerware (U.P.)
Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh was once one of the
largest toy producing centres in India. It is an
ancient craft, where the toys are made in wood
with sets of birds, animals, orchestras, and
dance ensembles available packed in boxes.
These toys are gaily painted and typically Indian
but not folk in design.The toys made in Varanasi
include the child Krishna flying on a very large
bird, contemporary mobiles of fish, ducks, cows,
horses, and other animals, tortoises that move
their necks and tails, dolls of all shapes and
sizes, and furniture for them.

The toys can be found in all sizes and prices --- from a 1inch mobile to a large 2 feet tall doll, and
with prices ranging from Rs 20 upwards. What one misses are the wooden lattus and bhambiries ---
nevertheless the toys are beckoning.

The wood has changed. Earlier sal or seesham was used in the making of the toys but due to
increased prices, cheaper, lighter wood is now being used. The paints are bright and usually applied
in primary colours. The tools are a carpenter's tools --- a saw and chisel for working on the wood.

Mirzapur Handmade
Dari (U.P)
The area of Mirzapur handmade dari
covers nine districts including
Varanasi, Mirzapur, Bhadohi,
Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Jaunpur,
Ghazipur, Allahabad and Kaushambi.
According to the applicant Pyarelal of Thathara village in Sevapuri block, about 50,000 artisans are
involved in this work making an annual turnover of about Ra. 100 crore. About 60-70% of the
product was exported to different countries. The tradition of handmade dari made of cotton and
wool has been continuing since Mughal era. Similarly, the craft of wooden toys is also an old
tradition of the city, and about 1000 families are engaged in this work.

Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft

(U.P.)
The Pink painted enamel style was brought in Varanasi
by the Persian enamellists around early 17th century
during the Mughal era. This enameling style reached its
peak of perfection at the Persian Court at Isfahan
during the Qajar dynasty. The art of Meenakari was prosperous till about hundred year ago. Today
there are only a handful of craft persons. They work on gold enamel, and silver enamel jewelry and
other objects.

Joynagar Moa (West Bengal)

The fake moas, which have replaced the nolen gur (date
palm jaggery) with kheer (rice pudding), chemical scent
and kanakchur khoi (puffed rice from special paddy
variety) with low-grade khoi, are flooding the markets. has
been degrading the Joynagar's Mowa. The result is that
Joynagar's Mowa, which has received patronage accross
the nation, is losing its pride of place.

While the fake ones are being sold at cheaper rates, is selling at a dirt price.the
original Joynagar'smoas are languishing in a handful of shops in the city.

Makrana Marble (Rajasthan)

The famous Victoria Memorial of Kolkata, the world
famous Taj Mahal in Agra, Raudat Tahera in Mumbai
and Jain Temple of Dilwara in south Rajasthan are
built from Makrana Marble. The oldest and the best
quality marble in the world. It needs no chemical
reinforcement like Italian marble, no pin holes, no
color change and loss of polish. This is practically verified by the buildings and numerous
temples,mosques,churches and monuments in India for over 1000 years now. Thus a life of next
seven generation is guaranteed.

Khurja Pottery (U.P.)

The baked clay pottery is said to have come to India
with Afgan King Taimur Lung as he passed through
Khurja alongwith potters from Egypt and Syria
during an easterly campaign over 500 years ago.

The art form has been kept alive by some 5000

artisans who work in 500-odd units that also
employ skilled and unskilled labourers. Besides
decorative items and crockery, these units
manufacture a number of everyday utility items like
tiles, grinding balls, switches and sanitary ware.

MEERUT SCISSORS (U.P.)

For the first time, a handmade tool from micro and small and
medium enterprises in India has been registered for a
geographical indicator (GI) tag, an official of a body promoting
this sector said on Wednesday. The tool is a pair of scissors
made of metal scrap by a community in Meerut, which is “the
only scissor cluster in India” and which has been making the
product for more than three centuries

The Meerut scissors are made of carbon steel blades sourced from scrap metal found in cars, buses,
trucks and railways. The handles are made of plastic, aluminium or alloys, which are sourced from
old utensils. All the parts are pre-used. The first pair was made 360 years ago by Asli Akhun.

Meerut has 250 small-scale scissors-making units, employing 70,000 people directly and indirectly.
Both the Central and Uttar Pradesh governments have helped the industry.

LEATHER TOYS OF INDORE

(M.P.)
LEATHER TOYS ARE made in Indore, largely
due to the well develeoped craft of leather
footwear in Indore,Dewas,Gwalior and
Bilaspur. The animal figures made out of
leather have gained recognition in the
international arena and younger craftsmen
are also flocking to be trained in this craft.The
basic skeleton of the toys is made from
glavanized iron or mild steel wire.

KANGRA PAINTINGS (H.P.)

This great art originated in a small hill state ‘Guler’ in the
first half of the 18th century when a family of Kashmiri
painters trained in Mughal Style of painting sought
shelter at the court of Raja Dalip Singh (r. 1695-1741) of
Guler.

This style reached its zenith during the reign of Maharaja

Sansar Chand Katoch (r.1776-1824) who was a great patron of Kangra art. Being a liberal patron, the
painters working at his atelier received large commissions while others accepted a permanent
settlement in the form of lands. Maharaja Sansar Chand was an ardent devotee of Krishna and used
to commission artists to paint subjects based on the loves and life of Krishna.
Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee And Moirang Phee (Manipur)
The muga geographical indications logo has been registered with the patent
information centre of Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Shaphee Lanphee is a red-border shawl worn by Nagas of Manipur as a
recognition of honour. Wangkhei Phee is a fine cotton and see-through fabric
worn by women.
Muga, a golden-yellow silk, is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine
silkworm,Antheraea assamensis, and is found only in the Brahmaputra valley.

Under the Revival, Reform and Restructuring package for handloom sector, about Rs.11 crore has
been provided to 696 eligible primary handloom weavers co-operative societies including one apex
society as financial assistance under direct cash transfer for the first phase. In the second phase,
Rs.16.33 crore will be provided to to 944 weavers’ societies. Thus, the recapitalization of 1640 nos.
of societies at 27.33 crore in single installment is a landmark and first kind in the state, he said and
appealed the weavers’ societies to utilize the money properly.

Thewa Art Work (Rajasthan)

The Origin Of Thewa dates back in the year 1767 under
the patronage of Maharawat Samant Sing of
Rajasthan. This vernacular word "Thewa", literally
means Setting. Shrouded in complete mystery as to its
making the artisans of Thewa follow a patriarchal
method of practicing the art for fear of divulging
family secrets to their daughters in-laws as a result the
legacy is carried from father to son only.

Thewa is a traditional art of fusing 23ct gold with

multicolored glass. The process followed is detailed and intricate. Patterned sheet of pure gold is
fused onto colored glass to create a unit. Each unit consist of a flat piece of transparent glass, of
different colors intentionally suggesting Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire. In the last century Thewa unit
makers prepared elaborate settings in gold wire in the Canetille style, so called after a contemporary
European style.

Warli Painting (Maharashtra)

While there are no records of the exact origins of this art, its
roots may be traced to as early as the 10th century AD.
Research suggests that the tribals are the propagators of a
tradition which originated sometime in the Neolithic period
between 2,500 BC and 3,000 BC.
This art carry on a tradition stretching back to 2 500 or 3 000 BC. Their mural paintings are similar to
those done between 500 and 10 000 BC in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka , in Madhya Pradesh.
Their extremely rudimentary wall paintings use a very basic graphic vocabulary: a circle, a triangle
and a square. The circle and triangle come from their observation of nature, the circle representing
the sun and the moon, the triangle derived from mountains and pointed trees. Only the square
seems to obey a different logic and seems to be a human invention, indicating a sacred enclosure or
a piece of land. So the central motive in each ritual painting is the square, the chauk; inside it we find
Palaghata, the mother goddess, symbolizing fertility.

Dharmavaram Handloom Pattu Sarees and Paavadas

These are exclusively made of mulberry silk woven by hand, and presence of zari is a must. There are
records of handlooms in Dharmavaram dating to late 19th century.

Saharanpur Wood Craft

(U.P.)
Today, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh is
the principle center for wood carving.
Here, the origins of the craft can be
traced back to the late 19th century.
Closely associated with architecture,
wood carving incorporated the
design vocabulary of architectural
carvings. It was also influenced by
Kashmiri designs, with many of the craftpersons having descended from Kashmiri immigrants. These
influences continue to reflect in contemporary products like the finely chiseled screens
and jaali work and the anguri or vine leaf pattern found in many Saharanpur products.

With its development into a major hub for woodwork, wood carvers from other centres have also
migrated here. As a result, Saharanpur can boast of a wide and highly skilled repertoire of
techniques and products, catering to both the domestic and export markets.
 Moradabad Metal Craft (U.P.)
The Moradabad cluster is able to form 400 plus Artisans & 40
SHGs supporting the strong work force. The mobilization
gains momentum day by day.

The techniques of metalworking follow the same principles,

whether the scale of design is industrial or sculptural, or
even at the tiny scale of a ring or a pair of earrings.
Furthermore, many of the basic techniques also relate to work in other media.

Applique:- The technique of creating a design by soldering or granulating cut-out shapes of sheet
metal to another metal surface.

Casting:- The process of shaping a molten metal by means of a mold.

Chasing:- A technique for surface embellishing of metal accomplished by driving pointed tools into
the metal.

Enameling:- The fusing of a glassy substance onto metal. Enamels are combinations of flux and metal
oxides (for color). Cloisonne is one of the better known enamel techniques.

Repousee:- A technique of pushing metal out from its reverse side using hammers and punches in
order to create a low relief design on the front.

Firozabad Glass (U.P.)

During ancient periods, invaders
brought many glass articles to
India. These glass articles when
rejected were collected and
melted in locally made furnace
called as "Bhainsa Bhatti." This
was the start of the glass industry
in Firozabad. In this furnace,
wood was used as a fuel. These
old traditional furnaces are still in
use in Sasani near Aligarh and at
Purdal Nagar. During that time
only small bottles and bangles were made.

KULLU SHAWLS (H.P.)

Weavers from Bushehar (Shimla) brought
the geometrical designs typical of Kullu
shawls to the region in the early 1940s.
Patan Patola
The double-ikat craft is believed to be 800 years old. Patola
saris are made elsewhere too, but Patan Patola is said to
be best.

Salvis of Patan are the only ones that practice the craft,
which has been handed down over several generations.
Making this textile is a complicated process and the
weaving procedure is painstaking. It takes 10-12 months to
weave a patola sari on a single loom in five to eight yards length with a width up to 54 inches. The
motifs of designs are essentially traditional and Indian -- geometrical, floral, animal and leaf pattern.

In India, its remit remains largely in craft, particularly the distinctive ikat of North Gujarat's Patan
district. Even so, silk 'patola' sarees from Patan routinely dangle a well-deserved Rs 2.5 lakh price
tag.

Lucknow Zardozi (U.P.)

This cluster supports an estimated 1,75,000 Zardozi artisans and around 2,00,000 people directly
involved in the supply and value chain.
There are over 10,000 micro and small enterprises engaged in manufacturing of Zardozi products
like apparels, home furnishing, shoes, bags etc in the region. These products are sold all over India
and also exported to different parts of the world.

Farrukhabad Prints (U.P.)

Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh is a veritable treasure
house of traditional designs ranging from the
classical butis (dots) to the famous ' Tree of
Life. Farrukhabad hand printing is famous all over
the world and it stands testimony to the
craftsmanship of the native artisans. It would not be
an exaggeration to state that Farrukhabad has become synonymous to the art of hand painting.

AGRA DURRIE

Agra Durrie is a traditional hand woven textile product. It is a flat woven pileless rug having a rich
variety of designs and colours. It is essentially a thick cotton woven fabric meant for spreading on
the floor. It is a weft-faced fabric on both its sides as warp is completely covered by the weft. In its
simplest form it is made in plain weave and in simple stripes in different colours running from side to
side or broken into rectilinear sections or with simple patterns in single colour or multi colour.

Thanjavur Veenai (Tamil Nadu)

The veena is made from the wood of the jackfruit
tree; the Thanjavur Veena is a GI. But it may soon
become a distant memory because the raw material
is becoming scarce and expensive and craftpersons
are turning to other sources of income. It is not
enough granting a product a GI; the State should
nourish the craft.
Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku
The traditional Nachiarkoil brass lamps are
known as Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku. The
production of the ornamental lamp is mainly
done by local artisans who have domicile in
and around Nachiarkoil, a town in
Kumbakonam taluk. The craftsmanship is not
found anywhere else. The lamps made for
temples are artistically used in South India.

The lamp usually consists of four parts—base

(Keezhbagam), stem (kandam), oil container
(Thanguli) and the apex or Prabhai. The
Thanguli or oil container consists of V-shaped
spouts to hold the wicks. These four parts are joined together with the help of screw threads. The
lamps are suspended from the ceiling and richly decorated and always excellent in workmanship and
design.

Toda Embroidery (Tamil Nadu)

These striking fabrics are produced by the Toda women living in the
Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu. Glancing only briefly at them in Ooty
shops I had presumed the patterns were woven, but visiting this
village beyond Koranur I found that the designs are embroidered
onto cream cloth.

Narayanpet Handloom Sarees (Telangana)

The village was once well known for handloom silk products. Once famous for its handloom products
now flourishing with power looms. The traditional weavers are very much upset due to the decline
of handlooms. Narayanpet is famous for its silk handloom products. Narayanpet handlooms are well
known for the durability of the colours used in the yarn. The mixture of colour gives the durability.
The count used in weaving gives the softness and hardness of the fabric. Count means the number
of threads used in the length and breadth for weaving known as warp and weft respectively. In
Narayanpet 80 by 80 is the count used. Each and every thread of the Narayanpet handloom saree is
hand woven. Each weaver works from home with all his / her family members helping in different
steps of the process. It requires approximately 2 to 3 days (depending on the variety of saree) of
continuous efforts for weaving a saree.

Pattamadai Pai
(Tamilnadu)
The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts
Development Corporation,
represented by advocate P.
Sanjai Gandhi, had filed
applications for the
registration of Pattamadai
mats’ and ‘Nachiarkoil brass
lamps.’

Mangalagiri Sarees and Fabrics

Mangalgiri is located 12 Kms from Vijayawada and it is a prominent pilgrimage center in Andhra
Pradesh. It is very famous in producing unique Mangalagiri
Cotton sarees/dresses with a stylish Jari border. A traditional
Mangalagiri cotton sari/dresses is characterized by a plain
body with contrasting Jari border.

We are also creating a new range of products from this

superfine fabric. We are using the fabric – known for its
superfine yarn with a silky feel, high count and fast colors – to
produce unique Mangalagiri Cotton sarees/dresses.

The colors we use are often very vibrant shot weaves or small checks that dance and glimmer in
harmony with the rich Jari. The cloth is super finely woven with a crisp finish. Because of these
cotton dresses/sarees Mangalagiri got a unique place in the World Map. As one of the premier and
unique handloom manufactures since 1985 we are in the process of taking our products world wide.

Bhagalpur Silk (Bihar)

Bhagalpuri Silk is very well known for its unique and
striking resilience and superior quality. This intrinsic
artwork showcases the original essence of Bhagalpur
in its purest and flawless form. It is filled with every
slice of Indian cultural aspects which are drawn from the intricacies of the natural surroundings and
which are symbolic in its own form.

This elegant form of embroidered artwork found its name, fame and recognition from the soil of
Bhagalpur which is also popularly referred to as the ‘Silk City’. This purest and natural form of
embroidered silk fabric traces its existence and emergence way back to the Vedic Age, which is
centuries ago. However, the Maurya Age also recognized the magical soul of this artwork which
managed to lure and attract majority of the people during that era and this attraction passed onto
the later eras which slowly and gradually uplifted the level of recognition and demand of this
artwork.