Karuppur kalamkari paintings and the Kallakurich wood carvings of Tamil Nadu earned the distinction of geographical indication (GI) tags in October 2021. Both these art forms are traditional in nature. The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar) had moved the application to register Karuppur kalamkari paintings for the GI tag in 2013. The tag for the Kallakurichi wood carvings was jointly applied by the Kallakurichi Wood Carving Handicrafts Industrial Cooperative Limited Society, and the Chinnasalem and Vriksha Association of Wood Carving Artisans self-help group.
The GI tag is used on products with a specific geographical origin. The product should also possess a reputation due to that origin. The tag gives the products and the place of origin a special status. The tag gives the owner of the product an exclusive right over the product and the owner could even sue someone for trying to duplicate the product.
Kalamkari Paintings
The kalamkari paintings are done on pure cotton cloth. According to the ancient documentary evidences, kalamkari paintings had evolved under the patronage of Nayaka rulers in the early 17th century. It is predominantly used in temples for umbrella covers, cylindrical hangings, chariot covers, and for making false cloth ceilings or ‘asmanagiri’. Kalamkari means creating something with a ‘kalam’ or a brush. Traditionally, only black, red, and yellow colours are used for kalamkari art. But in recent times, pale blue is also being used. The artists take a twig and wind a cloth around it and then dip it in the dye and paint it on a cotton canvas. The pen is traditionally soaked in the mixture of jaggery and water, and then, vegetable dyes are added. The cotton canvas is treated by dipping it in a solution of milk and other items. Once dried, the painting is done on the canvas. The dyes for the painting are extracted from natural colour-producing agents such as roots, leaves and mineral salts of iron, tin, copper, alum, etc. Cow dung, seeds of various kinds of plants, and crushed flowers are also used to get effects in the paintings. Kalamkari art needs a lot of expertise.
The subjects of kalamkari art are mostly religious, but they also cover a bit of nature. In ancient times, the kalamkari art specifically depicted Hindu tales of the Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Nowadays, it is also used to depict Buddha and the Buddhist art forms. The time taken to finish a painting depends on the intricacies and the area of the canvas.
The kalamkari paintings are done in Karuppur and its surrounding villages in the Udayarpalayam taluk in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu. Also, they are done in and around Sickhanayakanpatti and Thirupanadal in Thiruvidaimaruthur taluk of Thanjavur district.
Kallakurichi Wood Carvings
The Kallakurichi wood carvings are a unique form of wood carving that evolved as an indigenous art when Madurai was an important town in ancient times. The wood carvings of Kallakurichi involve the application of ornamentation and designs derived from traditional styles by the craftsmen. The wood used for these carvings are usually bought from Panruti, Pattampakkam, Thanjavur, and Samayapuram. The craftsmen prefer to use country wood, vagai wood, athi wood, iluppai wood (mahua tree wood) mango tree wood, rosewood, and teak wood for the carvings. The athi wood is mainly used for carving pooja-related activities. The wood from iluppai tree is usually very hard, hence it is used for making chariots for temple festivals.
Kallakurichi wood carving art was evolved as an indigenous art in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. With the passage of time, these wood carving artisans migrated to other towns and places. Thereafter, each of them evolved their own style like the Kallakurichi wood carving.
Other GI-Tagged Products from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has also received GI tags for Kanyakumari cloves, Dindigul locks, Mahabalipuram stone sculptures, Nilgiri tea, Virupakshi hill banana, Thanjavur doll, Thanjavur painting, Coimbatore wet grinders, Kancheepuram silk, and sarees, etc.
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