Three applications from Uttar Pradesh have been filed with the Geographical Indications Registry here, seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Bundelkhand Kathiya Gehu (Wheat), Banarasi Tabla and Sitapur Durrie.
The filing for the Bundelkhand Kathiya Gehu has been made by the Khatiya Wheat Bangra Producer Company Ltd., Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, under the agriculture category. According to details provided by the firm, this particular wheat has high nutritional value and a high fibre content. It is usually sown in the last week of October or first week of November and is harvested between March and April. The applicant has claimed that this wheat has several medicinal values.
The Export Promotion Bureau, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has filed an application for the Sitapur Durrie under the handicrafts category. A durrie is a thick flat woven rug/carpet traditionally used as floor coverings. Though durries are made in various parts of India, the applicants have indicated that the Sitapur Durrie is unique and is different from a carpet. The motifs and colour combinations are unique from what is made in rest of country.
While carpets are produced by knotting pile yarn to warp, durries are made by inter weaving weft and warp. These durries are made of cotton, wool, jute and silk b weavers who work in cottage industries, kharkhanas or privately run factories spread across villages in Sitapur town, Biswan, Laharpur among others.
The application for Banarasi Tabla (musical instrument) was filed by Subah-E-Banaras Anand Kanan, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Among the percussion instruments, Tabla is one of the most important musical instruments in Banaras and it is made of different kinds of wood like sheesham, neem, mahogany and babla wood. There is a huge demand for these tabla’s in the local market as well as the international markets. Foreigners who have a taste for classical music and who visit Varanasi for the music festivals purchase these tablas and the applicant in his filing mentioned that many of these foreigners even stay back and learn this instrument. They even perform at the music festivals that happen on the banks of the Ganga river. AGItagis a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation by virtue of their geographical association. The owner of theGItaghas exclusive rights over the product.
