In this guide
In the weaving town of Chanderi, in Ashoknagar district, the rhythmic clack of handlooms has continued for centuries. Chanderi's fine cotton and silk sarees, with their gold and silver motifs, were prized by royal families and are still sought across India. A few hundred kilometres south, on the banks of the Narmada at Maheshwar, weavers produce the Maheshwari sarees whose tradition goes back to the patronage of Ahilyabai Holkar. These are two of the many crafts of Madhya Pradesh that carry Geographical Indication (GI) tags — and that MPPSC asks about.
What is a GI tag?
A Geographical Indication identifies a product as coming from a particular place, where its qualities or reputation are linked to that origin. GIs are registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, and protect producers against imitation.
Textiles
| Craft | Place | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Chanderi | Chanderi (Ashoknagar) | Light, sheer cotton and silk sarees with zari motifs (coins, peacocks, flowers); GI |
| Maheshwari | Maheshwar (Khargone) | Cotton and silk sarees with reversible borders; linked to Ahilyabai Holkar's patronage; GI |
| Bagh print | Bagh (Dhar) | Hand-block printing with natural dyes (red and black on white), traditionally by the Khatri community; GI |
| Batik and Nandna prints | Ujjain region, Tarapur | Resist-dye and block-print traditions |
Paintings
| Art | Community | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Gond painting | Gond (Dindori, Mandla) | Dots and lines filling forms of animals, trees and deities; popularised by Jangarh Singh Shyam; GI |
| Bhil art | Bhil (Jhabua, Alirajpur) | Dots in bright colours; Bhuri Bai a leading artist |
| Pithora | Bhil, Rathwa | Ritual wall paintings with horses and deities |
Metal, leather and other crafts
| Craft | Place | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Bell-metal and brass craft | Tikamgarh, Datia | Lost-wax (dhokra-like) casting of figures, lamps and utensils |
| Leather toys | Indore | Stuffed leather animal toys; GI |
| Stone craft | Gwalior, Ratlam | Carved stone objects |
| Wooden toys | Budhni (Sehore) | Lacquered wooden toys |
| Jute and bamboo | Tribal areas | Baskets and household items |
Food and agricultural GIs
| Product | Place | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ratlami sev | Ratlam | Spicy gram-flour snack; GI |
| Kadaknath chicken | Jhabua | Black-fleshed poultry breed traditionally reared by Bhil communities; GI |
| Sharbati wheat | Sehore and central MP | Premium wheat variety known for its grain quality |
| Chinnor rice | Balaghat | Aromatic rice |
The economics of crafts
- Crafts provide livelihoods to artisans in rural and tribal areas, many of them women.
- GI tags help products command premium prices and protect against fakes.
- The One District One Product (ODOP) approach promotes a key product in each district of MP.
- Handloom clusters benefit from national schemes for weavers (credit, looms, design, marketing).
- The state's Mrignayani emporiums market MP's handicrafts and handlooms.
Challenges
| Challenge | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Low incomes | Middlemen take a large share of the price |
| Competition | Powerloom and machine-printed imitations |
| Raw materials | Rising costs of silk and yarn; natural dyes |
| Water | Natural dyeing (e.g., Bagh print) needs clean river water |
| Succession | Young people leaving traditional crafts |
| Marketing | Limited access to e-commerce and exports |
A Mains framework
- Branding and GI enforcement — authentic labels and QR-coded certification.
- Design support — linking artisans with designers and markets.
- Credit and raw material banks.
- E-commerce and exports.
- Social security for artisans.
- Tourism linkages — craft villages and festivals.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Where are Chanderi sarees made?
- Which Holkar ruler is associated with the Maheshwari weaving tradition?
- Which district is known for Bagh prints?
- Which chicken breed from Jhabua has a GI tag?
- What is the Mrignayani brand?
Mains-style (short): How do GI tags help artisans?
Mains-style (long): Examine the challenges facing the handloom and handicraft sector in Madhya Pradesh and suggest remedies.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
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