THANJAVUR: The Federation of Chettinad Athangudi Heritage Flooring Tiles Manufacturer Association has filed an application with Geographical Indication registry seeking GI tag for Athangudi tiles manufactured in Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu.
The application was jointly filed by the Product-cum-Process Development Centre (PPDC) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium enterprise (MSME) and Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre. P Sanjai Gandhi, government advocate at Madras High Court and nodal officer for GI registration products of Tamil Nadu, told reporters in Thanjavur on Friday that the application was filed on April 13.
“Athangudi tiles are one of the well-known handicrafts in Karaikudi region. The craft has been practised for the last 500 years. The tiles are handmade and used to decorate floors and walls of the houses. They are popularly known as ‘Pookal’ (flower stone) in Tamil Nadu. Athangudi tiles are in demand not only in the domestic market but also international market. The making of these tiles, also known as ‘Chettinad tiles’ or ‘Karaikkudi tiles,’ with colourful and intricate patterns is an art in itself. These are similar to mosaic tiles but are not machine pressed,” Sanjai Gandhi said.
Being fully handmade, it is an extremely laborious and time-consuming process. “Artisans believe it is the local soil which imparts the tiles their character. Geometric and floral patterns in red, blue, green and grey are common. While manufacturers usually use template-based patterns, they can also create free-hand designs,” Sanjai Gandhi said.
500-year-old craft
Athangudi tiles are one of the well-known handicrafts in Karaikudi region. The craft has been practised for the last 500 years. The tiles are handmade and used to decorate floors and walls of the houses. They are popularly known as ‘Pookal’ (flower stone), said P Sanjai Gandhi, nodal officer for GI registration products