Chennai: The Geographical Indication Registry of India is all set to accord two GI tags to the Tamil Nadu for Dindigul lock and Kandangi sarees. The coveted status would be issued on Thursday, said Deputy Registrar of the Registry, Chennai, Chinnaraja G. Naidu.
The registry would grant the GI status for Dindigul lock to the Dindigul Lock, Hardware and Steel Furniture Workers Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd, Dindugal and Kandangi Sarees to department of handlooms and textiles, Tamil Nadu.
The Dindigul Lock, Hardware and Steel Furniture Workers Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd, in the petition filed before the Registry, submitted that the lock industry was located in the Dindigul for more than 150 years.
The lock making unit was set up by Sankaralingachari brothers in Dindugl more than 150 years ago.
The society said the lock making is a very old and popular cottage industry in India. The lock industry in Dindigul is more than 100 years old and is spread over 5 villages in the district. It has evolved its own unique craftsmanship distinct from other lock making hubs, such as Aligarh in Uttar pradesh, and Das Nagar in West Bengal.
The handmade Dindigul locks were famous for their traditional design, safety and quality raw materials.
The Registry will grant GI status shortly to Srivilliputtur Co-operative Milk Producers' Society for delicious Srivilliputtur Palkova, a traditional milk sweet highly popular across the state.
There are over 50 varieties of locks made by the artisans. They are manufactured in more than 3,000 units and they are concentrated in Nagelnagar, Nallampatti, Kodaiparailpatti, Kamalapatti and Yagappanpatti.
Every lock is designed and possesses a unique style and it has its own special name. Some varieties of the locks made in Dindigul are Mango lock, Door lock, Almirah lock, Export lock, Excise lock. Trick lock, Mango seven lever lock, Mango nine levers lock, Drawer lock and Square lock.
The society members make various categories of locks including brass; steel, mild steel painted chromium plated and galvanized lock. They also make double locking, triple locking, master locking, super locking and trick locking locks. The craftsmen also make twin keys or three keys for single lock and locks with multi locking system. Every lock has been designed and possesses a unique style. The levers are designed to have a greater degree of non-interchange ability of keys. There is also complete manual assembling with each lock having its own unique key code.
Kandangi sarees: The Tamil Nadu Department of Handlooms and Textiles, in a petition filed before the registry, submitted that Karaikudi is the home for products like the hand-woven Kandangi sarees. The town has magnificent temples and lavish Chettinad houses. The Kandangi sarees are hand-woven by the highly skilled weavers in the town. They take nearly a week to make an exquisite saree.
The Kandangi cotton sarees were made by the weavers of Devanga Chettiars for the women of the Chettiar community, also referred to as Nakarathars or Nattukottai Chettiars. The sarees were made in the town for more than 150 years.
The sarees exude brilliant colours like bright yellows, oranges, red and a minimal black in the traditional pattern of stripes or checks with broad borders woven in coarse cotton. The fine stripes and checks, horizontal and vertical, are made out of cotton yarn which is dyed into vibrant colours, the favorites being earthy hues of red, orange, brown and colours of chrome and mustard. With the changing times, more interesting colours have been introduced and these have managed to retain the vivacity of the Kandangi saree.
They are made out of natural dyes.
