Tamil Nadu Weavers Over The Moon As Chedi Putta Saree Receives Geotag Recognition

Each state in South India offers its own assortment of handwoven gems that range from economical to extravagant. One such offering is Chedi Butta, which is woven in Veeravanallur in Tamil Nadu. The art originated in the Saurashtra region of the western Kutch desert in Gujarat, which is the original home to the weavers of this style of saree.

These weavers later migrated to Tamil Nadu making the Southern state synonymous with the art. It is a lovely saree with plant-inspired designs on a skillfully woven fabric. It is extremely simple to use and maintain because it is built with high-quality cotton fibres. The saree’s ability to provide varying degrees of comfort and its suitability for heavy wear made it one of the most popular options. A skillfully woven Chedi Butta Saree takes extraordinary talent and expertise, something the weavers at Veeravanallur have been at for almost 100 years. This Chedi Putta process is made entirely by handloom weaving. The saree, which is full of plants and flowers, is cool in summer and a little warm in winter, so it has a unique charm.

Jeevan Ram, one of the many Chedi Butta weavers who hails from Palayamgottai in Tirunelveli was recently highly praised by BJP state president Annamalai when he visited Tirunelveli recently. The Veeravanallur Saurashtra Weavers Association, along with the Tamil Nadu Handloom Department had requested for geographical indication (GI) tag for the Chedi Butta saree. They had submitted an application to the GI registry for the same.

The saree has recently received Geocode recognition. This is expected to further elevate the handloom industry, as these sarees will be much better known and reach out to a diverse population after receiving the geocode recognition. About 58 products have got geographical recognition in Tamil Nadu so far. Kancheepuram silk sarees, Thanjavur veenais, Srivilliputhur milk kovas, Dindigul locks, Madurai Chungidi sarees, and Salem white silk veshtis are a few of the significant products that currently bear the GI label.