Guwahati: The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai has granted the GI tag to eight products from Assam, including traditional food items and several unique varieties of rice beer.
The Bodo Traditional Brewers Association successfully secured GI tags for three variants of rice beer.
The first variant, ‘Bodo Jou Gwran’, has the highest percentage of alcohol (about 16.11%) when compared with other varieties of rice beer made by the Bodo community.
The second variant, ‘Maibra Jou Bidwi’, known locally as ‘Maibra Jwu Bidwi’ or ‘Maibra Zwu Bidwi’, is revered and served as a welcome drink by most Bodo tribes. It’s prepared by fermenting half-cooked rice (mairong) with less water, and adding a little ‘amao’ (a potential source of yeast) to it.
The third variant, called ‘Bodo Jou Gishi’, is also a traditionally fermented rice-based alcoholic beverage.
The Bodo community has a tradition of consuming rice beer since times immemorial. The Bodo people believe the drink originated from Lord Shiva, and it’s taken as a medicine.
Additionally, the Association of Traditional Food Products obtained GI tags for four iconic dishes.
The dishes include Napham, Ondla, Gwkha and Narzi. The first is ‘Bodo Napham’, an important and favourite dish of fermented fish prepared in a process requiring around three months. The other food item is ‘Bodo Ondla’, a rice powder curry flavoured with garlic, ginger, salt, and alkali.
Another one is the ‘Bodo Gwkha’, locally also known as ‘Gwka Gwkhi’, and it’s specially prepared during the Bwisagu festival, coinciding with the Bihu festival. The fourth speciality food item to bag the coveted GI tag is ‘Bodo Narzi’, a semi-fermented food prepared with jute leaves.
The Association of Traditional Bodo Weavers also secured a GI tag for ‘Bodo Aronai’, a beautifully crafted cloth featuring nature-inspired designs. Aronai is a symbol of the Boro traditional culture and is used to honour and felicitate guests as a gift.
These GI tags recognize the unique cultural traditions of the Bodo community and provide legal protection against unauthorized use, ensuring the preservation of the rich cultural heritage.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on his X handle, “Glad to share that 8 traditional items of BTR in Assam have been granted the GI Tag, indicating its unique nature and rich history. These include items like the Aronai, Bodo Nafam, and Ondla, among others. Congratulations to the people of Assam and BTR on this special occasion.”
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Notably, several Bodo items were earlier given the GI tag, including Bodo Keradapini, Gongar Dunjia, Dokhona, Bodo Eri Silk, Bodo Jwmgra, Bodo Gamsa, Bodo Thorkha, Bodo Kham, Bodo Serja, Bodo Sifung, Bodo Gongona and Bodo Jotha.
