Sweet delight for Varanasi as Banarasi paan, langda mango enter GI club

Varanasi: Consecrated for its heavenly flavours with Amitabh Bachchan's iconic song 'Khaike Paan Banaras Wala', the celebrated Banarasi Paan received the geographical indication (GI) tag on Monday. This apart, Banarasi langda mango from Kashi and 'Adamchini' rice of neighbouring Chandauli district have also joined the GI club. As many as 33 products were granted GI certification on a single day on March 31 by the GI Registry, Chennai. Among them, 10 products belong to Uttar Pradesh, including three from Varanasi. As of now, UP has 45 GI goods, out of which 20 belong to the Varanasi region of eastern UP. So far, 441 Indian products and 34 foreign goods have been granted GI tag by the GI Registry.

Known for its delicious taste, the Banarasi Paan is made using special ingredients in a unique way. Along with the Banarasi Paan, three other Varanasi-based products -- Banarasi Langda Mango, Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal), and Adamchini Rice -- also received the GI tag, said Padma Awardee GI expert Dr Rajinikant. With this development, the Kashi region now boasts of 22 GI tag products.

In collaboration with NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) Uttar Pradesh, GI applications were filed for 20 state-based products during the Covid phase. Of these, 11 products -- including seven ODOP and four products of Kashi region -- have received GI tag this year with the help of NABARD and the Yogi Adityanath government.

Dr Rajinikant said that a total of 20 lakh people, including artisans, are involved in making the GI products of the eastern U.P. region, including those from Varanasi. The annual turnover of these products is pegged at Rs 25,500 crore. He also expressed hope that by the end of the next month, the remaining nine products will also be included in the country's intellectual property. These include -- Banaras Lal Peda, Chiraigaon Gooseberry, Tirangi Barfi, Banarasi Thandai, and Banaras Lal Bharwa Mirch, among others. Before this, the Kashi and the Purvanchal region had 18 GI products -- including Banaras Brocade and Sarees, Handmade Bhadohi Carpets, Mirzapur Handmade Carpets, Banaras Metal Reposi Craft, Varanasi Gulabi Meenakari, Varanasi Wooden lacquerware and Toys, Nizamabad Black Patri, Banaras Glass Beads, Varanasi Softstone Jaali Work, Ghazipur Wall Hangig, Chunar Sandstone, Chunar Glaze Patari, Gorakhpur Terracotta Craft, Banaras Zardozi, Banaras Hand Block Print, Banaras Wood Carving, Mirzapur Brass Utensils, and Mau Saree. More than 1,000 farmers would be registered and given GI authorised user certificate. NABARD AGM Anuj Kumar Singh congratulated all the concerned farmers and producers, FPOs as well as associated self-help groups and said that in the coming times, NABARD is going to launch various schemes to take these GI products forward.