Geographical Indication (GI) Tag System
A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is an intellectual property right that identifies a product as originating from a specific geographical location where its quality, reputation, or characteristic is essentially attributable to that origin. India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force on 15 September 2003. The administering authority is the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The GI Registry is located at Chennai.
India's first GI tag was awarded to Darjeeling Tea in 2004. As of 2024, India has over 600 registered GIs. GI tags benefit artisans and farmers by preventing imitation and helping them command premium prices in domestic and international markets. A GI is valid for 10 years and is renewable.
Major Weaving and Textile Traditions
Silk Weaving
Kanchipuram (Kanjivaram) Silk — Tamil Nadu. Pure mulberry silk body; pure gold (zari) border woven separately and interlocked with the body using the korvai technique; vibrant contrasting colours; temple motifs, rudraksha patterns. GI tagged. Weavers belong to the Devanga and Saliga communities.
Banarasi Silk — Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Mughal floral motifs (kalga/mango, jali/lattice, buta/flower sprigs) woven with gold/silver zari; uses Jacquard loom; the most prominent silk for bridal saris. GI tagged. Weavers are predominantly Muslim artisans who have practised this craft for generations.
Chanderi Fabric — Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. Fine, lightweight fabric — cotton or silk-cotton blend; known for sheer texture and zari work; traditionally patronised by the royalty of Bundelkhand. GI tagged.
Pochampally Ikat — Pochampally, Telangana. Ikat technique: threads are tie-dyed BEFORE weaving to create patterns in the woven fabric; the pattern appears as if painted on the fabric. Pochampally ikat was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list (Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2021). GI tagged.
Pashmina — Kashmir. Finest wool in the world, from the Changthangi goat of Ladakh highlands; handspun and hand-woven. "Pashmina" comes from Persian pashm (wool). Shahtoosh (from Tibetan antelope/chiru) is different — and is banned under CITES as the chiru is endangered. GI tagged.
Phulkari — Punjab. Embroidery tradition ("flower work") using silk thread on coarse cotton cloth; traditionally made by women as trousseau items; distinctive for covering the base fabric entirely with colourful geometric needlework. GI tagged.
Folk and Tribal Painting Traditions
Madhubani (Mithila) Painting — Mithila region, Bihar (districts: Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi) and Terai Nepal. Traditionally done by women on mud walls and floors during festivals and ceremonies; now on paper, canvas, and cloth. Uses natural vegetable and mineral pigments. Double-line borders, filled-in geometric patterns; no empty space left. Themes: Ramayana, Krishna lila, nature, marriage ceremonies. GI tagged. Became famous internationally after the 1934 Bihar earthquake when American artist William Archer documented the wall paintings.
Warli Painting — Warli tribe, Palghar district (and surrounding area), Maharashtra; the Warli tribal community developed this tradition over thousands of years. Uses white pigment (rice paste) on a red-brown earthen background; simple geometric shapes — circle (sun, moon), triangle (mountains, trees), square (sacred ground) — arranged in rhythmic compositions depicting agricultural and social life, tarpa (flute) dance, hunting. No commercial or religious imagery. It was "discovered" by the mainstream art world in the 1970s.
Pattachitra — Odisha (and a related tradition in West Bengal). From the Sanskrit patta (cloth/leaf) + chitra (painting). Painted on cloth treated with chalk and gum or on palm leaf (talapatra). Subjects are the Jagannath tradition (Puri), Krishna lila, Ramayana; bold outlines, traditional palette (white, red, yellow, black, green). Practitioners are the Chitrakar community of Puri. GI tagged.
Kalamkari — Andhra Pradesh. Two schools: Srikalahasti (pen-drawn, hand-painted using a bamboo pen — kalam; temple decoration tradition; mythological narratives); Machilipatnam (block-printed using carved wooden blocks; more commercial; Persian/Mughal floral motifs after Mughal trade contact). Both use natural dyes and mordanting processes. The word means "pen work" (kalam = pen, kari = work). GI tagged.
Gond Painting — Gondi tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh (Mandla, Balaghat). Uses dots and dashes to fill outlines of animals, trees, and human figures; bright, primary colours; represents the Gondi worldview that every object is alive with energy. Artists like Jangarh Singh Shyam (1962–2001) brought Gond art to international attention.
Metalwork, Pottery and Other Traditional Crafts
Bidriware
Bidriware comes from Bidar, Karnataka (the former Barid Shahi sultanate capital). It is an alloy of zinc and copper (NOT silver, though it looks silvery) — shaped and then inlaid with pure silver wire in geometric and floral patterns, then blackened with a soil paste containing ammonium chloride. The contrast between the black body and bright silver inlay is the defining feature. GI tagged. The name derives from the city Bidar.
Dhokra (Dokra) Metal Casting
Dhokra (Dokra) is one of the oldest non-ferrous metal casting traditions in the world, using the lost-wax (cire perdue) casting technique — the same method documented in the Indus Valley Civilisation (the famous "Dancing Girl" bronze from Mohenjo-daro). Practised by Dhokra craftspeople in West Bengal (Bankura, Purulia), Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Telangana. Products include primitive-looking animal figurines, jewellery, ritual lamps, and divine figures. GI tagged.
Blue Pottery of Jaipur
Blue Pottery is unique to Jaipur, Rajasthan. Unlike most pottery, it does NOT use clay — the material is a dough of quartz stone powder, glass, Multani mitti (fuller's earth), borax, and gum; decorated with cobalt blue (and other colours) and white; distinctive Turko-Persian floral and geometric motifs. The technique came to India via Central Asia and Persia through the Mughal period. It is fired at a low temperature (about 850°C). GI tagged.
Brass Work of Moradabad
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) is called the "Brass City of India" or "Peetal Nagri" — one of India's largest export centres for brass handicrafts (bowls, trays, decorative items). The tradition combines Indian metalworking skills with Mughal-era design aesthetics.
Major Indian Crafts — Quick Reference
| Craft | State | Material/Technique | GI Tagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanchipuram Silk | Tamil Nadu | Mulberry silk + zari; korvai border technique | Yes |
| Banarasi Silk | Uttar Pradesh | Silk + gold/silver zari; Mughal motifs | Yes |
| Pochampally Ikat | Telangana | Tie-dye before weaving; geometric patterns | Yes; UNESCO ICH 2021 |
| Pashmina | Kashmir | Changthangi goat wool; handspun | Yes |
| Phulkari | Punjab | Silk thread embroidery on coarse cotton | Yes |
| Chanderi | Madhya Pradesh | Fine sheer cotton-silk; zari work | Yes |
| Madhubani (Mithila) | Bihar | Natural pigments; geometric+floral; wall/paper | Yes |
| Warli | Maharashtra | Rice paste on earth-red; circles/triangles/squares | Yes (registration underway) |
| Pattachitra | Odisha | Treated cloth/palm leaf; Jagannath themes | Yes |
| Kalamkari | Andhra Pradesh | Pen-drawn or block-printed; natural dyes | Yes |
| Bidriware | Karnataka | Zinc-copper alloy + silver inlay; blackened | Yes |
| Dhokra/Dokra | West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh | Lost-wax casting (cire perdue); non-ferrous metal | Yes |
| Blue Pottery | Rajasthan (Jaipur) | Quartz-glass paste; cobalt blue; no clay | Yes |
| Tanjore Painting | Tamil Nadu (Thanjavur) | Panel painting with gold leaf; raised relief; jewels | Yes |
| Chhipa Block Print | Rajasthan | Hand-block printing; natural dyes (Bagru, Sanganer) | Yes (Bagru Print, Sanganeri Print) |
Previous Year Questions
With reference to Dhrupad, one of the following statements is NOT correct about Bidriware craft. Which one?
[Actual Pattern:] Consider the following statements about Indian traditional crafts:
1. Bidriware is made of an alloy of zinc and copper and is associated with Bidar in Karnataka.
2. The Pochampally Ikat tradition involves dyeing the threads after weaving the cloth.
3. Shahtoosh is made from the wool of the Pashmina goat and is legally traded.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 only
Statement 2 is wrong: Ikat involves dyeing the threads before weaving — that is the defining technique. Statement 3 is wrong: Shahtoosh is from the Tibetan chiru antelope (which must be killed) and its trade is banned under CITES. Pashmina is from the Changthangi goat and is legal. Statement 1 is correct.
Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched? (Folk painting : State)
1. Madhubani : West Bengal
2. Warli : Maharashtra
3. Pattachitra : Odisha
4. Gond : Andhra Pradesh
(a) 2 and 3 only (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 only (d) 2, 3 and 4 only
Answer: (a) 2 and 3 only
Madhubani = Bihar (Mithila region, NOT West Bengal). Gond painting = Madhya Pradesh (NOT Andhra Pradesh — Kalamkari is from AP). Warli = Maharashtra (correct). Pattachitra = Odisha (correct).