Geographical Indication GI

tags of Karnataka
 About Geographical Indications

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and
possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify
a product as originating in a given place. For instance, Mysore silk, Kashmir Saffron and so on. As of today,
there are 370 GI tags in India. Karnataka has 46 GI tags making it one of the states with highest
registrations.

Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable
to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality, region or country. Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of
the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an
element of IPRs. They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which was part of the Agreements concluding the Uruguay Round of
GATT negotiations.

GI registration provides the registered proprietor and the authorized user the exclusive right to protect the
registered GI on the specified goods. Monopolization of the market enables the producers to control prices,
i.e., can charge premium prices, thereby enhancing profits. It has been revealed that 80 % consumers are
prepared to pay 20 – 30 % higher prices for goods they believe are having better qualities over other goods.
Moreover, GIs are mostly from villages or small towns. Higher income for the producers from these regions
has the potential to transform the rural economy towards growth. Many registered and potential GIs of
India are in the Micro and SME sector and GI protection enables them to develop their market and increase
returns. From tourism point of view, GIs are unique products coming from demarcated areas. Cultivation or
manufacturing process itself can attract tourists like Mysore silk sarees and Kanchipuram silk sarees.
Handicrafts and handlooms with niche characteristics can attract more tourists thus helping the tourism
industry also grow in the region.

In December 1999, the Parliament had passed the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and
Protection) Act,1999. This Act seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical
indications relating to goods in India. The provisions of the Act is administered by the Controller General of
Patents, Designs and Trade Marks- who is the Registrar of Geographical Indications
(https://ipindia.gov.in/gi.htm).
GI Products of Karnataka
 Bidriware

Bidriware is a renowned metal handicraft that derives its name from Bidar
in Karnataka. It was believed to have originated in 14th century AD during
the reign of Bahamani Sultans.The term 'Bidriware' therefore represents
the manufacture of a unique metalware that is named after the region of
Bidar.

The Bahamani sultans had ruled Bidar in the 14th– 15th centuries.
Bidriware was first practised in ancient Persia and then it was brought to
India by Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti’s followers. The art form developed due
to a mix of Persian and Arabic cultures and after the fusion with local style,
a new and unique style of its own was created.
 Channapatna toys

Channapatna, a sleepy little town in Karnataka's Ramanagara district, is

also known as Gombegala Ooru (toy town). The town got its name from the
GI tagged (geographical indication) wooden toys.

Traditionally, the Channapatna work involved ivory-wood, locally called

Aale mara. With time, the artisans started to experiment with rubber, teak,
pine, cedar, rosewood and sandalwood. The careful selection of the main
wood, seasoning, cutting, pruning and carving, and finally, colouring, is a
long process. Since these are toys meant for children, the colours used on
these toys are vegetable dyes, non-toxic and safe.
 Mysore Silk

Mysore silk is renowned for its quality, lustre and elegance. Mysore silk as
well as the saree are produced only by Karnataka Silk Industries
Corporation Ltd (KSIC), which holds the patent for its production.

The Mysore silk factory was founded in 1912 by Maharaja Nalvadi

Krishnaraja Wodeyar. Initially, the silk fabrics were exclusively used by the
royal family, and as ornamental fabrics of their armed forces. Right from
reeling of cocoons to the weaving of pure silk fabric, the entire process takes
place in this factory. Mysore silk saree is one of the most expensive sarees,
as it is made from 100% pure silk and the zari contains 65% pure silver and
0.65% of gold. It comes in two varieties: crepe de chine and georgette
 Mysore rosewood inlay

Mysore Rosewood Inlay covers a range of techniques used by artisans in

and around the area of Mysore in sculpture and the decor art for inserting
pieces of contrasting, often coloured materials like ivory shells, mother-of-
pearl, horn and sandalwood into depressions in a rosewood object to form
ornament or pictures that normally are flush with the matrix.

These artifacts are manufactured in around the region of Mysore, these

artifacts have been awarded Geographical Indication tag from the
Government of India in 2005 due to its historic representation as an artifact
depicting the region and the design and style used by the local artisans
 Mysore sandal oil

This is a trademarked perfume oil extracted from the Santalum Album

variety of sandalwood tree that grows in the Mysore district of Karnataka,
India. Prior to World War I, sandalwood from Mysore was taken all the
way to Germany for distillation and sold there. However, when the first
World War commenced in 1914, this Indo-German route had to be closed
down, resulting in a loss of revenue to the exchequer.

Due to this closure, the Maharajah of Mysore appointed Alfred Chatterton,

the Director of Industries in Mysore, to develop a system to distill the oil
locally. Chatterton enlisted the help of Professors J. J. Sudborough and H.
E. Watson who extracted the first sample of sandalwood oil in India at the
Indian Institute of Science. In 1916-17, the sandalwood oil distillery was
established in Mysore by the then Mysore government (now the Karnataka
government) to distill oil from sandalwood.
 Mysore sandal soap

Mysore Sandal Soap is the only soap in the world made from 100% pure
sandalwood oil. In the early 20th century, the Mysore Kingdom in India
was one of the largest producers of sandalwood in the world. It was also one
of the major exporters of the wood, most of which was exported to Europe.

During the First World War, large reserves of sandalwood were left over
since they could not be exported due to the war. To make good use of these
reserves, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the king of Mysore, established the
Government Soap Factory in Bangalore. In 1944, another sandalwood oil
factory was set up at Shimoga.
 Mysore Agarbathi

The making of Mysore Agarbathi became an organised industry in

Bangalore during the 1900s. The incense sticks are locally known as
oodabathies (blowing fumes). Herbs, flowers, essential oils, barks, roots
and charcoal are ground into a smooth paste, then rolled onto bamboo
sticks and dried in the sun.

The key ingredients Sandalwood and Ailanthus malabaricum (which

yields halmadi) are indigenous to the forests of Karnataka, thus earning
the product its GI tag.
 Mysore Traditional Paintings

Mysore painting is an important form of classical South Indian painting

that originated in and around the town of Mysore in Karnataka
encouraged and nurtured by the Mysore rulers. Painting in Karnataka
has a long and illustrious history, tracing its origins back to the Ajanta
times (2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D.)

The distinct school of Mysore painting evolved from the paintings of

Vijayanagar times during the reign of the Vijayanagar Kings (1336-1565
AD) .Mysore paintings are known for their elegance, muted colours,
and attention to detail. The themes for most of these paintings are
Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes from Hindu mythology.
 Mysore Betel Leaf

Mysore betel leaf is a variety of heart shaped betel (Piper betel) leaf
grown in and around the region of Mysore. It is consumed as a betel
quid or as paan, with or without tobacco. A sheaf of betel leaves is
traditionally offered as a mark of respect and auspicious beginnings.
Areca nut are kept on top of the sheaf of betel leaves and offered to
the elders for their blessings and during wedding ceremonies.
Mysore betel leaves are said to differ from other betel leaves
because of their smooth texture and hot taste.
 Mysore Ganifa Cards

Ganjifa” is the name given to an ancient Indian card game.

Historically the game is believed to be brought to India during the
Mughal period.
Mysooru Ganjifa was extensively patronised by the Mysore Royal
Family – The Wodeyar Kings. Given that the main aim of the game
was to teach, learn and tell stories from our ancient scriptures and
holy books, all the 18 games in the Mysooru Ganjifa Style were set to
stories and shloka’s from the Hindu Purana’s, stories from the
Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. The Dashavatara Ganjifa which is a
series based on the 10 different forms of the Hindu God Vishnu was
the most popular of the 18 Ganjifa games and is the best known to this
day. The Dashavatara Ganjifa has a set of 120 different playing cards.
 Nanjangud Rasabale

The World-Famous Banana Variety known as

Nanjangud Rasabale has tickled the taste buds of
people for centuries. It is known for its sweetness and
flavor and is medium in size with gall formation in the
pulp. They have red freckles on skin when ripe amd has
a distinct aroma when ripe.
 Molakalmuru Sarees of
Chitradurga district

Molakulmuru is a town in the Chitradurga district on the

borders of Karnataka. This town is renowned for the production
of a special garment, called the Molakalmuru Saree. These
Sarees are usually produced in silk and showcase a number of
motifs and patterns, usually inspired by nature.

They received special patronage during the time of Nalvadi

Krishnarajendra Wodeyar, prince of Mysore. Recently,
Molakalmuru Sarees have received the Geographical
Indications tag, referring to the specific origin and specialized
production of the saree in the town of Molakalmuru.
 Sandur Lambani Embroidery

One of the commonly known banjara tribe are, lambani.

Lambani’s visit village’s mainly to satisfy their economic needs.
Their goods tied to donkey’s back, selling spices, honey, grains
and rare medicinal herbs.
The Sandur Lambani embroidery is unique with its combination
of darning, cross stitch, mirror work, and because of the natural
dyeing and printing done by the Lambani craftswomen.
 Chikmaglur and Bababudangiri
Arabica Coffee

The birth place of coffee in India is Chikmagalur. The first seeds were
sown about 350 years ago on the slopes of Baba Budan Giri Hills in
Chikmagalur. As history tells, it is the Arab Connections that led to the
mushrooming of the coffee industry in India.

The story goes that an Indian pilgrim to Mecca – known as Baba

Budan – smuggled seven beans back to India from Yemen in 1670 (it
was illegal to take coffee seeds out of Arabia at the time) and planted
them in the Chandragiri hills of Karnataka. The Dutch (who occupied
much of India throughout the 17th century) helped spread the
cultivation of coffee across the country, but it was with the arrival of
the British Raj in the mid-nineteenth century that commercial coffee
farming fully flourished.
 Coorg Orange

Coorg orange, also called Coorg mandarin, is a cultivar of orange from

Kodagu in Karnataka. It was given the Geographical Indication
status in 2006. Coorg orange and other mandarin oranges that are
grown in various coffee zones are prized in the market because of
their attractive golden tinge, easiness to peel, high palatability, less
seediness, a perfect blend of acid, and sweetness.

Coorg orange is highly nutritious, sweet, and delicious, possessing

good medicinal value too. Coorg orange has got its own special taste
and flavor with well-blended sugar and acid contents.
 Coorg Green Cardamom

An exotic variety of green cardamom, often known as the ‘Queen

of Spices’ has been cultivated in Coorg, on the eastern slopes of the
Western Ghats on the Karnataka – Kerala state border for
centuries. This native variety known locally as malay yalakki is a
variety of the Malabar category and is grown by a sizeable number
of small and marginal farmers in over 11,000 hectares of land.

Though this yelaki is grown in Coorg, Chikmagalur, Hassan and

Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka, the aroma, taste and
volatile oil content of the variety grown in Coorg is far superior
than any found in the country. The green cardamom variety
(Elettaria cardamomum) thrives in the evergreen forests of Coorg
that is at an elevation of 3000 to 5000 feet above mean sea level.
 Dharwad Pedha

To escape the spread of plague in the late-18th/early-19th century, a

Thakur family from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh migrated to Dharwad
(now in Karnataka). To earn a living, Ram Ratan Singh Thakur started
making pedha (a milk-based sweet, also known as ‘peda’).

It was his grandson who consolidated the business. Soon people were
flocking to buy the ‘Line Bazar pedha' (called so after the shop’s
location). Since then, the same family has been making these sweets,
also known as Thakur pedha or Babusingh Thakur pedha, with the
secret recipe being passed from one generation to another
 Byadgi Chilli

Byadgi chilli is a famous variety of chilli mainly grown in the Indian

state of Karnataka. It is named after the town of Byadgi which is
located in the Haveri district of Karnataka. It is sometimes written as
Bedgi in some super markets and grocery stores in India.
The business involving Byadagi chillis has the second largest turnover
among all chilli varieties of India. An oil, oleoresin extracted from
these chillies is used in the preparation of nail polish and lipstick.
Byadagi chilli is also known for its deep red colour and is less spicy
and is used in many food preparations of South India. Byadagi chilli
has been accorded Geographical Indication (GI) in February 2011.
 Ilkal sarees

Traditionally worn in North Karnataka, the Ilkal saree gets its name from
Ilkal, a town in Bagalkot, which has been a weaving centre since 8th
century AD. What sets the Ilkal saree apart from others is that the body
and the pallu are weaved separately. The body warp is then joined with
the pallu warp in a series of loops in a technique called Topi Teni, which is
exclusively practiced in Ilkal.

These sarees are famous for their pallu, usually red with patterns of white
temple towers. The ends of the pallu contains hanige (comb), koti kammli
(fort ramparts), toputenne (jowar) and rampa (mountain range)
patterns.
 Kasuti embroidery

The word Kasuti comprised of ‘Kai’ means hand and ‘Suti’ is

cotton thread, i.e. Kasuti is handwork of cotton thread in
Karnataka language. Kasuti embroidery was famous in many
places especially in the districts of Bijapur, Dharwad, Belgaum,
Miraj, Sangli and Jamkhandi.

The motifs used in Kasuti are from temple architecture, the

gopurams of South India and also lotus flower, raths and
palanquins, bird motifs such as parrot, the peacock, the swan and
the squirrel are common. Animal motifs used are the sacred bull,
the elephant and the deer. The other designs used in Kasuti
embroidery are cattle, cradle, flower pot and Tulsi katte (katte is
the enclosure for the sacred Tulsi plant). Among the floral motifs
lotus is mostly used.
 Navalgund Durries

The name of the town, ‘Navalgund’ means the “hill of peacocks.”

This place was famous for our national bird and was later
incorporated as a part of the pattern in the jamkhana, which are
famous for their colorful designs of peacocks. Jamkhana in local
language means floor mats which are widely used as floor
coverings for decorations.
It is flat, weaved floor coverings made of twisted cotton yarn
which are called durrie placed on certain occasions like weddings,
personal ceremonies, religious gatherings and other special
occasions.
 Appemidi mangoes

The state of Karnataka is known for its rich mango diversity and one
of the most unique type of mango grown exclusively in Sagar,
Ripponpet and Hosanagara taluka of Shimoga district, river valleys of
Aghanashini, Kali, Bedthi, Sharavati and Varada of Uttara Kannada
district, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, is the deliciously
tangy Appemidi mango.

Appemidi holds an important place in the mango pickle industry and

food culture of Karnataka. Its fragrance is so strong and enticing that
just a few midi (tender mangoes) to an ordinary pickle can change its
taste and smell! Appemidi pickles are much sought-after as they
retain their texture and taste for many years. Appemidi mangoes are
used to make local delicacies like gojju, chutney, appe huli and
thambuli.
 Sirsi supari

In the arecanut sector, ‘Sirsi Supari’ grown in Uttara Kannada has

received the Geographic Indication (GI) tag in 2019. It is cultivated in
Yellapura, Siddapura and Sirsi taluks. Totgars’ Cooperative Sale
Society Ltd., Sirsi, is the registered proprietor of the GI.

The arecanut grown in these taluks have unique features like a round
and flattened coin shape, particular texture, size, cross-sectional
views, taste, etc. These features are not seen in arecanut grown in any
other regions. Its average dry weight is 7.5 g and average thickness is
16 mm. This particular variety has a unique taste due to differences in
chemical composition. The total average flavonoids content in it is
around 90 whereas in others it is around 80.
 Udupi Mattu Gulla

The Mattu Gulla is large, round brinjal. Gulla means round in

Tulu, the local language. It has light green stripes, thin skin
and a good amount of pulp with a few seeds. The stalk has a
few thorns, and this is an aspect that makes it distinct from
other Gullas.

The skin of this variety is quite thin and gets dissolved on

boiling. The pulp retains its firmness after cooking, is smooth
without any fiber and lends a special taste to the local
delicacies. This brinjal is rich in iron and has medicinal and
curative properties.
 Udupi jasmine, Mysore Jasmine
and Hoovinhadagali jasmine

Jasmine is considered the queen of flowers and is called the "Belle of

India" or the "Queen of fragrance" as it is exquisitely scented to soothe
and refresh.

Several species of jasmine are grown in Karnataka. Mysore Mallige

(Jasminum trifoliatum) of the family Oleaceae is the most popular
among the three varieties of Jasmine endemic to Karnataka; the other
two varieties being the Hadagali Mallige (Jasminum azoricum Vahl)
and Udupi Mallige (Jasminum sambac). Famed worldwide for their
fragrance, all the three flower varieties have been patented and
registered under Intellectual Property Right
 Devanahalli Pomello

Devanahalli pomello is from the citrus family but unlike the

grapefruit that has an intense bitter flavour, Devanahalli
pomello is deliciously sweet with a mild tartness and
bitterness. The chakota used to grow abundantly in villages
around Devanahalli district in the state of Karnataka many
decades ago.
Though it is said that the British and Tipu Sultan were
somehow involved in the cultivation of chakota, chakota finds
itself in the limelight now because of the efforts of the
Department of Horticulture that has significantly improved
the growth of indigenous fruits in this area.
 Bangalore Blue Grapes

The Bangalore Blue Grape, known for its "foxy" flavour, got
the GI tag (no 211) for its specific geographic and indigenous
variety, three years after the state horticultural department
submitted its first detailed proposals to the office of the
Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks
seeking a GI tag.
 Bangalore Rose Onion

Bangalore rose onion or gulabi eerulli as it known

locally is a unique variety of onion that is found
only in and around Bangalore in the state of
Karnataka. This particular rose onion is exclusively
grown for the export market in one of the 16 taluks
or districts of Bengaluru urban, Bengaluru rural,
Kolar and Chikkaballapur in about 5,000 acres of
land.
 Kamalapur Red Banana

Kamalapur Red Banana is a special variety of Red banana which

is exclusively grown in the valley of Kamalapur village and its
surrounding areas in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka, India.

It is known as a "rich man's fruit" as it is marketed at a higher

price compared to other varieties of banana due to greater inputs
in farming with fertilizer (compost, in particular in large
quantity), water, and workforce. While its skin is red coloured,
the pulp is creamish in colour with an enjoyable taste. It has a
high calorie value with Vitamin C and B6, which makes it a health
food.
 Kinhal toys of Koppal

Kinhal toys are a traditional craft which has been done on

wood. It is the local craft of Kinhal or Kinnal town in the
Koppal District of Karnataka.The artisans of this craft
are identified as Chitragars. The wood used by them is a
local wood known as Polki Maran. The basic theme of
the craft is primarily Hindu Mythology.
Jog falls, Shimoga, Karnataka

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