DRAVADIAN FORAGE- AN EXPLORER BEHIND A LAWYER Author – Manasvi Shukla

[5/17, 11:40] Sekarreporter 1: DRAVADIAN FORAGE -An Explorer behind a LAWYER

  -  Author; Manasvi shukla

[5/17, 11:40] Sekarreporter 1: DRAVADIAN FORAGE- AN EXPLORER BEHIND A LAWYER
Author – Manasvi Shukla

‘The Indian way of life provides the vision of the natural, real way of life. We veil ourselves with unnatural masks. On the face of India are the tender expressions which carry the mark of the Creators hand.’- George Bernard Shaw

A country with multi-linguistic art and culture, India. Each and every part of country has its own speciality and uniqueness. Similarly, Tamil Nadu is state with beautiful and enriched culture and so is district Thoothukudi traditionally known as ‘Pearl City’. This place is famous for Muthaaramman Kovil Festival, Panimayamatha Church Festival, and various tourist spots. With all these specialities an application was filed on 03-07-2014 by Kovilpatti Regional Kadalaimittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association in respect of Kadalai Mittai under Sub-section (1) of Section 13 of Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a sign used to identify a specific item to its geographic place of origin and is mainly used as a quality certification. The GI Laws prevent a product from being duplicated somewhere else in any way.
‘Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai’ is very famous and great repute owing due to its unique flavour and manufacturing method. Since decades, the Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai traditionally prepared during village festivals using palm jaggery and groundnuts from nearby districts. During pre-independence era i.e. around 1940’s the switch to sugarcane jaggery happened. A grocery shop owner in the bazaar Ponnambala Nadar, decided to use the sugarcane jaggery and peanuts in his store to make Kadalai Mittai.

It is produced by applying both groundnuts and organic jaggery. It is made using all natural ingredients such as the traditional and organic special ‘Vellam’ – a fresh, pale, soft triangular block of jaggery available across Tamilnadu, and particularly in around Kovilpatti like Srivalliputhur. The groundnuts grown in and around Kovilpatti in the native black soil and the groundnuts come from the nearby town of Aruppukottai, after which they are shelled and roasted in a machine. The Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai enhances its taste naturally because the water from river Thamirabarani is used in the production. The Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai constitutes of peanuts held together with glistening syrup, and topped with wisps of grated coconut dyed pink, green and yellow. In Kovilpatti, it is sold as single rectangular chunks, or rather cuboids, sealed in packets. Kadalai Mittai is a strong, brittle, ready-to-eat sweet made generally from casting a mixture of dry nuts and hot jaggery syrup. It is called as Chikki in north India. The Kadalai Mittai usually takes the shape of a slab of wedged squares. In Kovilpatti it is found in packages sealed as single rectangular bits, or even cuboids. This is really cheap. The production of Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai is done in “Veragu Aduppu”, a special old form of stow, which gives Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai a special flavour.
This period of 5 years and hard work of P Sanjai Gandhi, a Chennai-based IP Attorney to get Geographical Indication for Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai became a huge success last week. Mr. Sanjai pursued law at Madras Government College. Mr. Sanjai got 20 products registered from Tamil Nadu, including Madurai Sungudi, Thanjavur Paintings, Salem Venpattu, Kovai Kora Cotton Sarees, Arani Silk, Bhavani Jamakkalam, Eathomozhy Tall Coconut, Thanjavur Doll, Pattamadai Pai, Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku, Toda Embroidery, Thanjavur Veenai, Mahabalipuram Stone Sculpture and Thirubuvanam Silk Sarees, in addition to ‘Authorised User’ for Thanjavur Art Plate, Swamimalai Bronze Icons and Temple Jewellery of Nagercoil. In latests he got GI of Dindigul locks, Kandangi Sarees and Srivalliputhur palkava He has also registered and received the GI mark for the Tangalia Shawl from Gujarat. Mr.Sanjai was honoured with the National IP Award in 2018 under ‘Top Individual for Best facilitation of Registration of GI and Promotion of registered GI in India’ category. Mr.Sanjai has also authored a book titled Arts and Crafts of India: Registered GI Products mainly to help foreigners understand GI registered art and craft items in the country. He delivered address before Global Investor Meet, 2019 organized by Government of Tamil Nadu. Mr. Gandhi has been appointed as member of IPR cell DSNLU, Visakhapatnam. He is also appointed as a Nodal Officer, Geographical indication registered products, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2019. During a discussion with Mr. Gandhi, he quoted ‘Thanks to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. Edappadi K. Palanisami for appointing me as Nodal Officer, Geographical Indications registration products for the state of Tamil Nadu.’ He also quoted ‘Thanked Hon’ble Kadambur C Raju Minister for information, State of Tamil Nadu for helping me in GI procedure of Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai.’ Further in addition, recently Mr. Gandhi said ‘A GI tag insulates the uniqueness of the product from fakes and sets a quality benchmark for the work. Its commercial value and exploitation shall be vested with the applicants who are usually associations of artisans or government departments ’