Famed Palamaner Terracotta seeks GI tag

Hyderabad-based GI practitioner Subhajit Saha files for GI status for Palamaner Terracotta, a traditional craft from Chittoor district.

A Hyderabad-based geographical indication (GI) practitioner, Subhajit Saha, working with the Resolute Group, said that an application for GI status is being filed for the famous ‘Palamaner Terracotta’, an age-old indigenous craft from Palamaner in Chittoor district.

Mr. Saha told The Hindu that the Palamaner Terracotta is a renowned handicraft in vogue with highly professional and complicated designs. “This great art form is made with hands, and the clay used for the product is free of chemicals. This environment-friendly products are used as decorative sculptures, utensils, and various household articles for indoor decorations,” he said. Some of them include miniature figurines, mega sculptures, and terracotta compost bins, blending tradition with sustainability.

The practitioner said that the GI application’s objective is to give protection to the authenticity of terracotta art, enhance their market value and public outreach. He observed that the GI tag could sustain a large number of artists and their families, who could carry forward the rich legacy of the craft. He added that India has at present, as many as 1,467 GI applications, with 658 registered.

Meanwhile, the history of terracotta art form dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of the 3000-1500 BCE. This art form has been found to be present in Palamaner region during the last four centuries. The Andhra Pradesh Department of Handlooms and Textiles is funding the terracotta artisans.