6 GI tag products to shop from West Bengal

GI (Geographical indication) products are those that carry a specific sign notifying the origin of the product and the qualities and reputation they possess. GI tags enable products to get global recognition. West Bengal's Darjeeling tea was India's first product to get a GI tag. Rosogolla is another popular GI-tagged item. Here are more such items from West Bengal you should consider shopping.

Accredited with a GI tag in 2015, joynogorer moa is a delicate sweet popped rice ball that is available only during the winter months. Made with puffed rice, nolen gur (liquid jaggery made from date palms), cashew nuts, raisins, and cardamom, this delicious soft ball melts in your mouth. The best moas are made with puffed rice from a special variety called kanakchur.

Nakshi katha was the first-ever handicraft from West Bengal to get the prestigious GI tag in 2008. Unlike the simple embroidery work through running stitches involved in kantha work, nakshi katha incorporates a more intricate embroidery focusing on details. Mainly practiced in Birbhum, this embroidery style uses tight stitches to tell stories related to rural life scenes, and traditional flora and fauna.

The ancient art of Bengal patachitra got the GI tag in 2018. This unique art is famous in areas like West Midnapore's Purulia and Pingla districts. Patachitra is a folk tradition of visual storytelling that also incorporates traditional songs. It is a form of scroll painting that is unfurled by patuas (the artists) while narrating stories along with songs related to folklore and mythology.

Purulia in West Bengal is well-known for its vibrant art forms, among which the chhau mask probably holds the first place. The mask received the GI tag in 2018. Used as elaborate headgear for folk dancers, these masks are usually made of hand-painted paper pulp or clay displaying mythological characters with fearless expressions. These masks are made in Purulia's Charida village.

A popular type of handloom saree in West Bengal, Baluchari sarees were granted a GI tag in 2011 and were termed "the loveliest and most charming of all silks of India." These sarees were first made in an eponymous village in Murshidabad. Today, they are also woven in and around Bishnupur. Featuring a long pallu, these regal sarees feature depictions of mythological scenes.

Two distinct Bengal rice varieties, tulaipanji rice, and gobindobhog rice entered the agriculture GI's list in 2017. Used to make payesh and bhoger khichuri, gobindobhog rice is short-grain sticky white rice that is admired for its fragrance and sweet buttery taste. It's rich in antioxidants. Also called Bengal basmati, tulaipanji rice is flavorful and aromatic, and has a great texture.