Madurai Sungudi
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| Madurai Sungudi | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
| Description | Textile signature art tradition of Madurai |
| Type | Textile art |
| Area | Madurai |
| Country | India |
| Registered | 2006 |
| Material | Cotton fabric with tie and dye method of traditional prints |
Madurai Sungudi is a design from Madurai, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which is an exclusive textile product traditionally produced using tie and dye (using natural dyes) method by the Saurashtrians, who migrated to Madurai under the patronage of King Thirumalai Naicker in the 17th century.[1] The fabric's traditional popular use is as a saree; the fabric is now also used to make shirts, salwars, shawls, handbags, bed sheets and pillow cases. The product has been given protection under the GI registration act.[1][2][3]
In recent years, in view of tough competition from other textile fabrics, to meet the market demand this fabric, "sungudi" as it is commonly known, is made with modern designs and techniques of block printing, wax printing and screen printing.[2][3]
The Madurai Sungudi, produced in Madurai city, a cottage industry product, is given protection under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act (GI Act) 1999 of the Government of India. It was registered by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks under the title "Madurai Sungudi" and recorded under GI Application number 21, Class 24 - Textile and Textile Goods and Class 25 – Clothing including Sarees and Rumal, as a textile product. The GI tag was approved on 12 December 2005.[4][5]
Location
Sungudi is made in Madurai City, which is located in Tamil Nadu on the banks of the Vaigai River.[5]
History
From the 8th to 11th century, The Saurashtrians from Saurashtra region (present day Gujarat) started migrating towards Southern India due to the frequent Muslim invasions, these merchants upon the invitation of Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Nayak and Thanjavur Maratha Kings set up mercantile silk-weaving guilds throughout Southern India and were involved in the trade of silk clothes and diamonds to the royal families of ancient South India, as the silk became the attire of royal families after the period of Gupta dynasty. Some of them settled down in Madurai, where the local king of the Nayak dynasty welcomed them. Here, they came to be known as "Patnūlkarars" (silk thread people). In order to please the local kings, the Saurashtrians of Madurai, who were expert craftsmen in fabric weaving and trade of silk garments, created a gift item of cotton fabric suited for use in the tropical conditions, and called it the "Madurai Sungdi."[5]
In Saurashtra, the word 'sungudi' relates to the Sanskrit word "sunnam" meaning "round", representing the circular dots that are printed on the fabric as a prominent and special motif.[5]
While the dotted designs of the fabric are inspired by cosmic stars, its knotting pattern is a copy of the knots with which women tie their hair.[3]
