Expo provides peek into GI products, coins, currencies

Special covers on Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products from various states, coins and currencies were on display as part of the World Heritage Week at Srimanthi Bai Memorial Government Museum, in Bejai on Friday.

Philatelist and numismatist Vidya Baglodi and Kishore Baglodi, had displayed 212 special covers on GI tagged products from 22 states in the country. There were 31 special covers on GI tagged products from Karnataka at the exhibition as well.

Explaining the special covers on GI products, Vidya Baglodi informed DH that the first GI tag in India was received for Darjeeling tea. The latest application seeking GI tag was for Nicobari hodi craft filed by the Tribal Development Council, Andaman and Nicobar Islands before Geographical Indications Registry at Guindy, Chennai.

The special covers on GI on Mattu Gulla, Udupi Mallige, Bangalore blue grapes, black rice of Kerala, Kanchipuram silk, Dharmavaram and Madurai Sungudi sarees, Toda embroidery, Thanjavur Netti Works and Arumbavur wood carvings and others were on display.

The special cover on Solapur terry towel had a small piece of towel in it while the cover on Shantiniketan leather goods had leather on it. The special covers on Kangra paintings of Himachal Pradesh, Himachali Chulli oil, Phulkari works of Rajasthan, Jamnagari Bandhani, Bastar iron craft, Banarasi silk saree, Blue pottery of Jaipur, Banaras Zardozi, Kinnauri shawl, Himachali Kala Zeera, Mangalvedha Jowar and Narayanpet Handloom saree caught the attention of the onlookers.

Vidya Baglodi said “special covers on GI Products give a lot of information on the country and are an eye-opener for the collectors.”

Baglodi has also displayed the first print of Tanjavur paintings and Indian miniature paintings from her collection.

Numismatist Mohammed Yaseer had exhibited coins and currencies. Commemorative coins from five paise to Rs 10 released in India, shredded currencies, coins of princely states including that of Chola, Rajput, Vijayanagara, Tipu, and British India were on display. Further, there were currencies with fancy numbers, including those matching the date of birth of prime ministers of India, the Independence Day and Republic Day which impressed the visitors.

Further, there were error notes and star series in the currencies that were reprinted after noticing the error in the printed currency.

The exhibition also displayed 91 polymer plastic notes from various countries, 150 currencies on buildings, 150 currencies on animals and birds and 150 currencies on personalities from across the world.

The commemorative coins from Somalia on cars, motorbikes, guitar, maps of the country and animals also were a highlight at the exhibition.

The world’s first 3D currency from Oman also caught the attention of the visitors.

Further, Mohammed Yaseer has displayed a collection of Indian currencies signed by the Reserve Bank of India Governor C D Deshmukh (1943) till present Governor Shaktikanta Das. Explaining further, he said Rs 1,000-denomination currency was introduced when Sen Gupta was the Governor.

Museum officer Dhanalakshmi Ammal said that the exhibition was organised for a day as part of the World Heritage Week.