Toda embroidery Got Geographical Indication
 |
Toda are a small Indigenous community who live on the isolated Nilgiri plateau of Southern India. Before the 18th century, the Toda coexisted locally with other communities in a loose caste-like community organization in which the Toda were the top ranking. The Toda population has hovered in the range 700 to 900 during the last century.
The Toda embroidery art, known as ‘pukhoor,’ has been passed on to generations and now they got Geographical Indications for their Embroidery work so, from now no one can use the word "Toda embroidery" other than these indigenous people.
The GI status was given in March by Registry of Geographical Indications, Chennai. The recognition came after five years of effort by Toda Nalavaazhvu Sangham, Key Stone Foundation and Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation).
The status not only ensures uniform pricing for Toda embroidery products but also insulates the art from being duplicated.
Of the nearly 1,600 tribal people in nearly 69 hamlets, a little more than 400 are said to be actively involved in embroidery. The product range has now widened from Pootkhulu (shawl) to wall hangings, table mat, shoulder bags and gents and ladies shopping bag. Organisations such as the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India have been facilitating training programmes.
