Team Blitz India
MUMBAI: The sitars and tanpuras of Miraj, a small town in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, known for its craftsmanship in making musical instruments, have been awarded the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
The instruments made in this town are in great demand in the music community. The government of India’s intellectual property office recently issued the GI tag to Miraj Musical Instruments Cluster for its sitars and to Soultune, the company which makes tanpuras.
A GI tag, which is given by the Controller General of Patents, Trademarks and Design, ensures that only the authorised makers are able to use the brand name and none outside the identified geographical location can stake any claim to it. A GI tag often enhances the commercial value of a product by bringing it wide recognition.
According to Mohsin Mirajkar, President of Miraj Musical Instruments Cluster, there is high demand for sitar and tanpura made in the cluster but due to lack of resources the artisans are not able to meet it. So, instruments made elsewhere are sold as having been made in Miraj.
When the cluster started receiving complaints, it decided to apply for GI certification. The application for the recognition was submitted in 2021. The tradition of making sitars and tanpuras in Miraj goes back more than 300 years, with over seven generations of craftsmen having worked towards making these string instruments.
Legend has it that during the Adil Shahi period in 15th century, emperor Adil Shah sent skilled workers to Miraj to craft the dome of a mosque. These workers were o264riginally trained in making weapons.
With the decline of battles during the British era, they transitioned to making musical instruments. The princely state of Miraj patronised this art.
