GI Tags to Majuli Masks and Majuli Manuscript Paintings

Context

Recently the Narasapur crochet lace craft, Majuli masks and Majuli Manuscript Paintings has got the Geographical Indications (GI) tag.

Narasapur Crochet Lace Craft

• Region: The craft is geographically limited to 19 mandals in West Godavari in the Godavari area of Andhra Pradesh.
• Background: The women of the farming network of this place began developing fairly attractive artefacts from colourful lace, about 150 years in the past.
  • In 2004, the first of its kind lace park in India was established here where lots of crochet lace makers can market their products.
• Artwork: The lace work is done using thin threads and these are again woven with thin crochet needles of varying sizes.
  • The products are to be had in vibrant colours like orange, inexperienced, blue, whitered, and beige. 
• The crochet lace products also are exported to nations just like the UK, USA, France, etc.

Majuli Masks

• Region: Both Majuli Mask of Assam & Assam Majuli Manuscript Painting find its root in the river island district of Majuli of the state.
  • Majuli is the most important river island in the world and the seat of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite tradition.
• Art work: These are handmade masks and are traditionally used to depict characters in bhaonas, or theatrical performances with devotional messages under the neo-Vaishnavite life.
  • The mask can depict gods, goddesses, demons, animals and birds.
  • The masks are made from bamboo, clay, dung, material, cotton, and wooden.
• Background: It was delivered by the 15th-16th century reformer saint Srimanta Sankardeva. 

Art Practised in Monasteries

• Majuli has 22 sattras, and the mask-making tradition is by and large concentrated in 4 of them — Samaguri Sattra, Natun Samaguri Sattra, Bihimpur Sattra and Alengi Narasimha Sattra.
• Sattras are monastic institutions hooked up with the aid of Srimanta Sankardev and his disciples as centres of religious, social and cultural reform. 

Majuli Manuscript Painting

• It is a shape of painting — additionally originating within the sixteenth century — completed on sanchi pat, or manuscripts made of the bark of the sanchi or agar tree, the usage of homemade ink.
• The distinctiveness lies in manuscript writing styles—Gargayan script, Kaithall, and Bamunia.
• These paintings depict Hindu epic stories, specially Lord Krishna’s Bhagavata Purana narratives, showcasing cultural history and inventive finesse. 
• The earliest example of an illustrated manuscript is stated to be a rendering of the Adya Dasama of the Bhagwat Purana in Assamese by Srimanta Sankardev. 
• This artwork was patronised by the Ahom kings. It continues to be practised in each sattra in Majuli.

What is a GI Tag?

• A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess characteristics or a recognition that are because of that starting place. 
• Geographical Indications are a part of the intellectual assets rights that come underneath the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
• In India, Geographical Indications registration is run by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999.
• Geographical symptoms are generally used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and commercial merchandise.
• The registration of a geographical indication is legitimate for a duration of 10 years, it is able to be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10 years every.

Benefits of GI Tag

• It confers criminal protection to Geographical Indications in India which in turn enhance exports.
• Prevents unauthorised use of a Registered Geographical Indication through others.
• It promotes financial prosperity of manufacturers of goods produced in a geographical territory.

Source: The Indian express

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q.Which of the following has/have been accorded ‘Geographical Indication’ status? (2015)

1. Banaras Brocades and Sarees
2. Rajasthani Daal-Bati-Churma
3. Tirupathi Laddu

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a. 1 only                  b. 2 and 3 only

c. 1 and 3 only        d. 1, 2 and 3

 

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