CHENNAI/NAGAPATTINAM: To protect and promote the traditional rattan handicrafts that are akin to a few villages in Nagapattinam district, the State has filed an application with Geographical Indications (GI) Registry in Chennai to obtain GI status.
The application was filed by P Sanjai Gandhi, Additional government pleader and an IP Attorney on behalf of Block Development Officer of Kollidam, who is representing Annaikaranchathiram and Gopalasamuthiram village panchayats.
For decades, artisans of Thaikkal and Thulasiyaendirapuram villages in Anaikkaran chathiram panchayat have mastered the art of making furniture from rattan, which enjoys world-wide patronage. Though rattan furniture is made in other areas too, the products handmade here are unique due to superior quality of raw materials used. The characteristics, techniques, production process, traditional knowledge, skills used, and quality of Thaikkal makes it unique and one of its own kind. They are cheaper, stronger and the furniture gives a cooling effect in summer and warmth in winter due to its efficient heat absorbing and releasing capacity.
An array of products are made. Apart from furniture, rattan mats, sital pati, baskets of various sizes and shapes, winnowing trays, sieves, japi or chatta, various types of fishing implements and murrahs are produced in large numbers in Thaikkal and nearby villages. Artisans claim that rattan furniture even hold medicinal properties.
The product is named after Thaikkal village because of a large of number of rattan-based industrial cluster found. Official statistics show there are about 500 registered rattan-based industries in Thaikkal and Thulasiyendrapuram villages and an equal number of unregistered industries in the area making a turnover of `two crore per year providing employment to about 5,000 workers.
Report of survey of cottage industries of Madras Presidency, 1929 talks about existence of rattan industries from time immemorial. Another reference may be seen in the thesis entitled Small savings in Nagapattinam District, an Analytical Study by S Srinivasan. The author mentioned of the existence of approximate 500 rattan-based furniture industries in Annaikaranchatram and Gopalasamuthiram more than 100 years ago. The furnitures are not only famous in India, but also abroad. B Mohammed, a successful artisan from Thaikkal, said, “We are into manufacturing of rattan products for over four generations. We know nothing but this.”
S Vinayagam of Anaikaranchathram village said three generations ago they used rattan for just making pots, but over the period they diversified and now they can do anything to suit customer needs.