Behind the bright glitter of bangles in the back alleys of Charminar lie the assiduity and artistry of a bunch of master craftsmen who have turned the area into a souvenir hub. Now, a group of craftsmen has come together to secure Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the lac bangles manufactured in the area.
Visitors to the Charminar inevitably wander into the western lane to be assaulted by the razzmatazz of shiny bangles and hustlers who promise ‘Ek minute, lowest price, best deal, and most original’ that side of the River Musi. With a GI tag on the horizon, these bangles are set to be catapulted into the big league.
“I have been trying to get the GI tag from 2007 when bankers and marketeers said it will create a niche. ‘You have a very special product. It will add value,’ I was told at Hunar Haat, Surajkund and other craft fairs when I visited them,” says Mohammed Hisamuddin, who is leading the GI tag application on behalf of the lac bangle manufacturers. While Golkonda Handicrafts outlets in the country sell the lac bangles, a GI tag is expected to open up avenues for marketing at niche craft fairs and exhibitions.
