Chola-era Thirubuvanam sarees awarded GI tag

The certificate would be handed over to the Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers Co-operative (THICO) society by the president of Intellectual Property Rights Attorney Association P Sanjai Gandhi on Wednesday.

Thirubuvanam silk sarees are as famous as the Kanchipuram silk ones and marketed by the THICO society. Thirubuvanam is located enroute to Mayiladuthurai from Kumbakonam. The sarees are renowned for their long-lasting zari, colour and designs.

History says that weavers from Saurashtra Community had settled in Thirubuvanam to make sarees as per requests from rulers like Nayak and Sarfoji kings. Now, more than 1,500 families still reside in Thirubuvanam and Kumbaknam areas weaving cloth.

The workers undertake weaving with the raw materials distributed through THICO society. As many as 34 societies are there at present, but except for a few, including Madurai and Karaikudi, others suffer, due to poor sale.

“Thirubuvanam silk sarees have exclusive wedding collections with temple designs across the pallu of the saree. Though the Thirubuvanam sarees are sold across the state, the THICO society applied for GI tag in 2014,” Gandhi told reporters in Thanjavur on Tuesday.

Soon after the application, the Tamil Nadu Handloom and Textiles and the Intellectural Property Rights Attorney Association had approached the officials with the specifications and the lifestyle of the weavers. After having studied every detail, GI registrar Gupta and Deputy Registrar Chinna Raju Naidu handed over the certificate to Gandhi. “After this, each weaver can apply for an individual certificate with a logo which they can utilise on their products,” Gandhi said, adding, the logo cannot be used by non-members of THICO society.