Mandar gets GI tag, Jharkhand's folk heritage gains recognition

Ranchi, Sep 29 (UNI) Jharkhand's traditional folk instrument Mandar has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status by the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, formally recognising its distinctive construction and longstanding association with the state's cultural life. The GI application, filed in 2021 by Raidih Mandar Producer Company Limited of Gumla, documented the instrument's traditional manufacturing process, use of locally sourced raw materials, acoustic characteristics and cultural association with Jharkhand. The application cited historical records dating back to 1915, including anthropologist Sarat Chandra Roy's work, Tarak Chandra Das's 1931 work and W G Archer's 1940 book The Blue Grove. It also referred…