The District Tourism Promotion Council, Kozhikode has applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the famous Beypore Uru (boat).

Beypore Uru

• Beypore Uru is a wooden dhow (ship / sailing boat / sailing vessel) handcrafted by skilled artisans and carpenters in Beypore, Kerala.
• They are a symbol of Kerala’s trade relations and friendship with the Gulf countries.
• It is purely made of premium wood, without using any modern techniques.
• The wood used is still sawed the traditional way which requires immense expertise.
• It takes anywhere between 1-4 years to build each Uru and the entire process is done manually.

Its historic significance

• Historical records show that Beypore has been a legendary maritime hub for traders from across the world since the 1st Century C.E.
• The iconic Uru ships have been in high demand for around 2000 years.
• The history of Khalasis, skilled natives engaged in launching the Uru boats at Beypore, dates back to 2000 years.
• The prominent people among them are Odayis. They manage the technical matters of ship building.
• Their family name comes from Odam (a type of small ship previously used in interactions/trade between the Malabar coast and Lakshadweep).
• They are also referred to as Mappila Khalasis as majority of them are Mappila Muslims.

Try this PYQ:

Q.With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statement:

1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand.
2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield fine wool.
3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

Post your answers here.

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Back2Basics: Geographical Indication (GI)

• A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
• GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
• The tag stands valid for 10 years.

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