JOIN USWith this, Bhadohi carpet has made it to the coveted club of Intellectual Protected Rights protected items such as Banarasi sarees and Brocades, Tirupati Laddu, Lucknow Chikan Craft, Darjeeling Tea and Puneri Pagadi.
Bhadohi carpets, which has centuries-old history, will now be protected as a geographical indication (GI) under Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act. GI certificate for Bhadohi carpets was issued last week, UNCTAD India Programme Officer in Charge Abhijit Das said.
UNCTAD India project had supported the artisans, weavers, producers and exporters in Bhadohi- Mirzapur region in their endeavour to seek the legal protection through GI registration.
GI tag will allow producers of carpets in Bhadohi-Mirzapur region in UP to take legal action against the infringement of the name of their unique product. No carpet produced in other regions or countries can now be sold in India under the tag of Bhadohi carpet.
"GI tag combined with brand building and appropriate marketing initiatives can improve incomes of the artisans, weavers, and others involved in the production-trade chain," Das said.
"Increase in visibility may lead to increase in both demand and price of Bhadohi carpets," he added. Geographical Indication is an Intellectual Property Right that identifies a good as originating in a certain region with quality, reputation and other characteristic of the product attributable to its geographical origin.
GIs, unlike copyrights and trademarks, are publicly owned by the artisans or producers of the concerned product. Bhadohi carpets are inspired by classical Indian and Persian motifs. Bright glowing colours, hand-knotting technique which allows high number of knots per square inch and exquisite designs have made Bhadohi carpets a cherished product in home décor.
About 25 lakh weavers, exporters and other artisans involved in the production chain will be able to leverage the GI tag for commercial gains. Though carpet weaving is spread over different parts of the country, the Mirzapur-Bhadohi belt in UP is famous for its uniqueness. The so-called 'carpet belt' mainly comprises the districts of Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Koshambi, Jaunpur and Sonebhadra.