World-famous 'Basohli Painting' from Jammu gets GI tagging

Category : State Published on: April 05 2023

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The world-famous 'Basohli Painting' from Kathua district obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag following approval by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Jammu.
This is the first time in the history of GI registration that the Jammu region got a GI tag for handicrafts.
Basohli painting is the first independent GI tag from the Jammu region.
The process for GI Tagging of these products was started by NABARD in consultation and support from the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom in December 2020.
Now, only an authorized user has the exclusive rights to use the Geographical Indication in relation to these products.
Besides the Basohli paintings, Basohli pashmina woolen products (Kathua), Chikri wood craft (Rajouri), Bhaderwah rajma (Doda), Mushkbudji rice (Anantnag), Kaladi (Udhampur), Sulai honey (Ramban), Anardana (Ramban) and Ladakh wood carving (Ladakh) were the other products pitched for the GI-tagging.
These products from Jammu and Kashmir have been included among 33 others, highest-ever in a single year, cleared for GI-tagging on March 31.
Basohli paintings can also be seen in many manuscripts. Basohli painting was started by Raja Krishna Pal in the 16th century.
After his death, his son Bhupat Pal continued it. Painters were encouraged and guided towards making paintings.
This went on generation after generation. Jahangir took Bhupat Pal Basohli's painting as a gift to the court and got the title of India.