GI products came to a special focus in the ongoing Tribes India Aadi Mahotsav on 19th November, 2021, when Shri BhaskarKhulbe, Advisor to the Prime Minister visited the Aadi Mahotsav and appreciated the efforts of TRIFED to promote Geographical Indication among tribal products.
GI products occupy a prominent place in this edition of the Aadi Mahotsav, and more than 50 such identified products are displayed in stalls across the venue by the tribals. Many visitors have been visiting these stalls with much interest.Apart from this, 7 new GI tagged products from Uttarakhand consisting ofAipan craft, Tamta product, Ringal craft, Thulma, BhutiyaDaan Carpet, Chyura oil and Munshiyari Rajma, was launched at AadiMahotsav taking the tally of TRIFED promoted tribal GI products to 66.
Shri BhaskarKhulbe, spent time visiting most of the stalls and appreciated the rich tribal products on displayas well as TRIFEDs effort of promoting Geographical Indication among tribal products – be they Van Dhan Naturals and organic products, or tribal handicrafts, and other artistic creations.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Khulbe remarked, “I am pleased to note that TRIFED has actively taken up the cause to promote GI tagged products and transform into a brand, thus empowering tribal artisans. This Aadi Mahotsav is an excellent way to bring all tribal artisans from across the country in a single place. I urge all Delhi-ites to visit this unique fair.”
The GI products featured at the Tribes India Aadi Mahotsav include renowned, exquisite items such as Rajasthan’s blue pottery, the Kota Dariya fabric, Madhya Pradesh’s Chanderi and Maheshwari silk, Bagh print, Odisha’s Pattachitra, Karnataka’s Bidriware, Banarasi silk from Uttar Pradesh, Darjeeling tea from West Bengal, Kala jeera from Himachal Pradesh, the extremely spicy Naga chilli, and the large cardamom from the North-east.
Geographical indication tagging has acquired a greater significance ever since the focus has shifted towards Vocal for Local and building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been facilitating the promotion of GI tagged products along with tribal productsand transform them into a brand, symbolizing empowerment of tribal artisans. These initiatives are aimed to help recognize and promote age-old tribal traditions and methods that are in danger of being lost due to urbanizationandindustrialization.
The Geographical Indication, which has been recognized by the World Trade Organization, is used to denote the geographical territory from where a product, be it an agricultural produce, natural product or manufactured, and also conveys assurance of qualities or attributes that are unique to that specific geographic region. India became a signatory to this convention, when, as a member of the WTO, it enacted the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection Act), 1999, which came into effect from September 15, 2003.
The AadiMahotsav festival TRIFED’s attempt to familiarize the people with the rich and diverse craft, culture and cuisine of tribal communities across the country in one place.
Besides these GI products, one can also find other ethnic tribal handicrafts and products and organic items – from the natural and immunity-boosting tribal produce such as virgin coconut oil, organic haldi, dry amla, wild honey, black pepper, ragi, triphala, and lentil mixes such as moong dal, urad dal, white beans, and dalia to artefacts such as paintings be it in the Warli style or Patachitras; from jewellery handcrafted in the Dokra style to bead necklaces from the Wancho and Konyak tribes of the North-East to the rich and vibrant textiles and silks, namely; from colourful puppets and children’s toys to traditional weaves such as Dongria shawls and Bodo weaves; from iron craft from Bastar to bamboo craft and cane furniture. One can also enjoy tribal artistic forms and sample tribal cuisine at the Aadi Mahotsav.
The Aadi Mahotsav- A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Crafts, Culture and Commerce is on at DilliHaat, INA, New Delhi till the 30thNovember, 2021 from 11 am to 9 pm.
