SpicyIP Tidbit: GI for Pedana Kalamkari Art Form

Image from here

Recently, as The Hindu reports, Pedana Kalamkari art form received GI protection. Members of Vegetable Dye Hand Block Kalamkari Printers’ Welfare Association, Pedana received the registration certificate from the Geographical Indications Registry (GIR), Chennai. Also, in the GI Registration, this art form has, been recognised as ‘Machilipatnam Kalamkari’. According to GIR’s authorised user no – AU/396/GI/19/12, production of Machilipatnam Kalamkari is geographically limited to Pedana town and its neighbouring villages including Machilipatnam, Polavaram and Kappaladoddi in Guduru Mandal of Krishna district. Protection has been limited to certain areas of production such as textiles and textile goods, bed and table covers, clothing, carpets, rugs, linoleum and other materials for covering existing floors and embroidery. Additionally, the recipe for making the vegetable dyes and information regarding the stages of its application has also been submitted. 

The Machilipatnam Kalamkari craft is made at Pedana near Machilipatnam in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. Through this art form cotton fabrics are painted, either free hand or with the help of blocks, using vegetable dyes. It is said that this art form evolved under the patronage of the Mughals (or even earlier). Since the 17th century, traders have preferred Kalamkari works from Machilipatam as they are finer and more elaborate. 

We blogged about other recent GI approvals here.