‘Kangri’ to`Wagguv’: J&K govt eyes GI tag for 300 -year-old crafts  

SRINAGAR:  In the season of Geographical Indications (GIs), it is the turn of Kashmiri Kangri and Wagguv to get the exclusive tag.

Department of Handicrafts and Handloom is working hard to get geographic indication (GI) certification for Kangri and Wagguv given their exclusivity and proximity to Kashmir. 

“Kangri is unique to Kashmir so is Wagguv. We want that they should also be granted a GI tag given its exclusivity. This will go a long way in boosting our Kashmir handicraft sector,” Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir, told The Kashmir Monitor.

Kangri is a firepot used by Kashmiris during winter to keep themselves warm. It is an earthen pot woven with wicker. People fill it with charcoal embers and keep it underneath pheran (long cloak) to keep themselves warm during winter. Like the lighting of lamps, people in Kashmir use kangri to burn Isband (Harmala) on auspicious occasions.  Plus Kangris are also used as showpieces in homes, hotels, offices, and other places.  

Likewise, people have been using Wagguv as floor matting for over 300 years in Kashmir. The eco-friendly mat is made of reed and rice straw. However, with the advent of modern carpets, Wagguv art has almost vanished in Kashmir. However, the government wants to revive this art and promote Wagguv as showpieces for luxurious spaces.

“We have to revive Wugguv art. It has almost vanished. To create forward linkages, we are working on a two-pronged strategy. First, we are pitching it for GI and the second is creating a buzz around the product. We are not pitching it for the purpose it used to have in Kashmir. We are pitching it decorative pieces for luxurious spaces like hotels and other places,” said Shah.

Similarly, the government is trying to pitch Kangri as an important artifact. “Kangri is an important artifact and can be purchased as souvenirs. It can be also used as a showpiece. And if we embellish it further, it can go places,” said Shah.

So far seven major crafts including Kani Shawl, Pashmina, Sozni, Paper-Machie, Walnut Wood Carving, Khatamband, and Hand Knotted Carpets have already been GI certified. Besides, the process of GI registration of seven more crafts  including Kashmir Namda, Shikara, Gabba, Kashmir Willow Bat, Crewel, and Chain Stitch is already under process. The dossier for GI certification of all these crafts has been submitted to the GI authorities in Chennai.