India: Geographical Indication Tag
Conferred on Kashmiri Carpet
On June 13, 2016, the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir
was granted the Geographical Indication Certificate for its famous Kashmiri
Hand Knotted Carpet. The present GI certificate was given by Geographical
Indication Registry, Chennai. Kashmiri Hand Knotted Carpets as quite famous
around the globe, and are prepared through a special way of weaving known as
‘Taleem’. The application for GI certificate on Kashmiri Carpet was filled by
Meeras Carpet Weavers’ Industrial Cooperative Ltd., the society created by
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (hereinafter referred as KCCI).
As per the GI application, the history of Kashmiri carpet
dates back to the period of the famous Sufi Saint and scholar, Hazrat Mir Syed
Ali Hamdani (1341- 1385 AD) of Persia. When he came to Kashmir, he brought a
few skilled artists with him and laid the base for the cottage industries in
the Kashmir valley. During the period of Zain-ul- Abadin (1420- 1470 A.D), a
Sultan of Kashmir carpets from Kashmir started winning fame in far regions and
it has been recorded as a great period in the history of carpets in Kashmir.
There is yet no historical evidence which can confirm the
addition of Taleem to carpets. But, Taleem was used earlier in waving of Kani
Shawls, and some people believe that when the demand for carpets increased and
Kani Shawl was on the decline, shawl weavers took taleem to carpets.
Kashmiri carpets are very similar to Iranian carpets, and
thus it was quite difficult to obtain GI certificate on Kashmiri carpet but, the
said GI certificate was obtained on the basis of the fact that, in no other
place than Kashmir, weavers use a written set of codes and symbols for design
patterns and colors.
Taleem, a coded color chart, is the manner followed by the
weaver of Kashmir, indicating the number of knots to be woven in their
respective colors. The colors and numbers of knots to be woven are indicated by
signs. Weaving by Taleem technique is considered to be more accurate and fault
free as compared to weaving through the graphic method.
Indian Institute of Carpet Technology was also a stakeholder
in developing the value of Kashmiri carpets. Mr. Zubair Ahmad Mir, director,
Indian Institute of Carpet Technology, said ‘Our
role will be to test these products so as to make them qualify for GI status’[1]
The present GI also accompany a logo with it. Presence of
this logo will ensure that the carpet is the original Kashmiri Hand Knotted
Carpet.
The Indian state of Jammu
& Kashmir is famous for its rich heritage of handicraft and the state owns
many GI certificates. A list of GI certificates owned by Jammu & Kashmir is
given blow -
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