19 traditional products of Assam, two of Tripura get GI tag

Guwahati/Agartala, March 31

As many as 19 traditional products and crafts of Assam, including ‘Bihu Dhol’, ‘Jaapi’ and several items of the Bodo community, have been accorded the geographical indication (GI) tag, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

Thirteen of these products are specifically linked to the Bodos, who form the largest tribal group in the state.

Additionally, two indigenous products of Tripura — the ‘Pera’ of the Tripureswari temple and the ‘Rignai Pachra’ — have been accorded the GI tag, Chief Minister Manik Saha said.

Terming it a big win for Assam’s heritage, Assam Chief Minister Sarma wrote on X: “Six prestigious GI tags have been granted to traditional crafts. This includes iconic items like Assam Bihu Dhol, Japi, Sarthebari Metal Craft, and more. These products, deeply rooted in history, support nearly one lakh people directly.”

Assam Jaapi is a traditional bamboo hat and Bihu Dhol a traditional drum played during the Bihu festival. The applications for the GI tags for the six products were filed in the latter part of 2022 and the certifications were announced on Saturday.

Assam Asharikandi Terracotta Craft, Assam Pani Mateka Craft, Sarthebari Metal Craft and Assam Mising Handloom Products are the other products that received the GI tags.

In a separate post on X, Sarma said 13 products of the Bodo community have also obtained this unique certification.

On a Facebook post, the Tripura Chief Minister said, “I am glad to inform that ‘Pera’ (prasad) of Tripureswari temple and ‘Rignai Pachra’, a traditional cloth for women of indigenous tribes, have been given the GI tag.”

Earlier in the month, ‘Risa’, a handwoven cloth worn by the indigenous communities of the state, had received the GI tag.