Centuries-old Red Sanders Raja-Rani toys & Madanapalle terracotta in bid for GI tag

Hyderabad: The century-old Lakshmigaripalli Raja–Rani toys, a wooden doll craft made using Red Sanders with cultural significance across South India, have been applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, along with Madanapalle terracotta and pottery, according to applications filed with the Chennai GI registry.The Lakshmigaripalli dolls are popular in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and are traditionally given to brides as a wedding gift, forming the first part of their bommala koluvu collection. The second application seeks GI recognition for Madanapalle's terracotta and pottery tradition, known for handmade functional and decorative earthenware.Raja–Rani toys: craft cluster in Annamayya districtAs per documents filed with the registry, Lakshmigaripalli's Raja–Rani toys are a wooden doll craft centred in the villages of Laxmigaripalli and the nearby Settigunta in Annamayya district (erstwhile Kadapa). The GI application was filed by the Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Artistic Wooden Toys Workers Industrial Co-operative Society.The Raja–Rani dolls represent a king and queen and are part of the South Indian Raja–Rani/Marapachi tradition, where the "royal couple" is treated as a cultural heirloom within families. They occupy a prime step in bommala koluvu (Golu) displays during Navaratri, where they are regarded as symbols of auspiciousness and prosperity.Wood, restrictions & livelihood concernsArtisans traditionally use locally available woods such as Red Sanders, native to the belt, as well as kudumatti, sarkar and teak. Chisels, hammers and files are used for carving, while brushes are used for painting. The toys typically feature turned wooden bodies (is a specialized form of woodworking where a lathe is used to create symmetrical, cylindrical, or conical shapes by rotating the wood against fixed cutting tools) with detailed hand-painting in bright natural or synthetic colours.The documents note that, as Red Sanders is a restricted timber, artisans are permitted only limited, licensed quantities routed through state agencies at subsidised rates, shaping both the scale and economics of the craft.Around 100 families in Laxmigaripalli and Settigunta depend at least partly on this livelihood. The artisans had formed the Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Artistic Wooden Toy Makers Co-operative Society in 1993 to secure raw materials and improve marketing, but continue to face low margins, limited market access, and the migration of youth away from the craft.Madanapalle terracotta: clay, kilns & motifsThe Madanapalle terracotta and pottery application was filed by the Mother India Terracotta Artisans Mutually Aided Co-operative Society. The craft uses local red, porous clay sourced from nearby riverbeds and pits, with artisans blending two to three clays for durability. The cluster comprises around 287 craftspeople in Madanapalle and the nearby Palamaner areas.The process includes wedging to remove impurities and air bubbles, shaping by coiling for larger forms or using a potter's wheel, burnishing for sheen, and kiln-firing to achieve a reddish-brown finish. The craft is known for functional items such as matkas (water pots) and decorative motifs depicting deities, folk scenes and geometric patterns rooted in local culture.MSID:: 127939690 413 |