The traditional Assamese raw gold, popularly called Kesa Xon, is all agog to get its Geographical Indication (GI) tag soon by next year, as told by Zangfai founder Lakhimi Baruah Bhuyan to Business Northeast.
Lakhimi Baruah Bhuyan, founder of Zangfai, a well know brand of Assamese jewellery claims that the real kesa xon jewellery is prepared from 24-carat paper gold or through electroplating (gold water wash). However, with rising demand, many business establishments are procuring imitations of Assamese jewellery from outside the state and selling it at cheaper rates, thus threatening the market for the original products.
"We started an awareness program against such malpractices in 2017 itself. The then Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal supported the cause and even forwarded the matter to the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry for consideration. As such GI tag was applied for and hopefully it should be done by the next year," said Bhuyan.
The replicas are made of copper and are of low quality and hence cheap. The GI tag would help in stopping the production of artificial kesa xon totally. According to Lakhimi Baruah, the duplicacy is hampering the sale of real ornaments made of pure gold and silver.
One of the customers of Zangfai, Rimjhim Gogoi stated that she bought a thuria in 2010, but the quality of the ornament is still very good. However, according to Zangfai, one needs to preserve the ornaments inside the cotton and plastic boxes provided to them to avoid blackening.
Some of the other problems faced by the industry is that the sales are seasonal. But there is not much of a problem in production.
Kingkini is another store that sells traditional Assamese jewellery. The store brings its ornaments from artisans in Nagaon. Other prominent districts where kesa xon artisans are available are Nagaon, Barpeta, and Jorhat. However, Zangfai has its own artisans in Guwahati.
The proprietor of Kingkini remarked that such problems will be there, but they are all sorting them out for good. They could see very good growth among their customers.
The lack of any organised group to support the local jewellery artisans and business establishments has also been hindering the progress of the industry. However, Bhuyan opined that the stakeholders have been working together to deal with their common problems.
About Geographical Indication tag:
"Geographical Indication" (GI) is actually a sign used on a product whose origin is from a particular geographical location. To get a GI tag, the product must have qualities linked to the place of origin. In Assam, raw gold has had its presence since the Ahom era.
The tag is generally registered on products produced by rural, marginal, and indigenous communities over generations. The artisans making kesa xon products are from families that have been traditionally associated with the industry. The indigenous jewellers exhibit a considerable amount of skill and artistic refinement in making golden ornaments such as dugdugi, golpata, lokapara, muthi, jonbiri, keru, kayur, kankan, karachani, bena, angathi, thuria, gamkharu, etc.
For the GI tag of traditional Assamese jewellery, the first meeting was held in August 2021, conducted by the Patent Information Centre of the Assam Science and Technology and Environment Council. Speaking to officials of the centre, Business Northeast found that the centre also made an enquiry as to who can use the tag. According to their research, the artisans of kesa xon mainly resides in Barpeta, Nagaon and Jorhat. During all the meetings the centre emphasized the importance of producers of the products. So they are authorised to use the tag for production.
The application for the tag was actually initiated by member of Gems and Jewellery Promotion Council of Assam, Dr Joya Choudhury. The application is in the pre-examination status as visible in the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India website (https://ipindia.gov.in/).
After GI tag is acquired, the producers will be able to use a logo which will be accorded to them by law.
According to the Centre a new producer can also start producing the same thing through an affidavit if he/ she follows the same traditional pattern of producing the raw gold.
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