Two Tripura products including Mata Bari Peda, Rignai gets GI Tag

Two Tripura products, including the Peda of Mata Bari (Tripura Sundari Temple) and a traditional attire known Rignai, have received Geographical Indications Tags.

The Dewanbari Mahila Cluster Behumukhi Samabaya Samity Ltd, led by its president, Ms. Padma Buli Jamatia of Udaipur under Gomati District, filed the application for the GI tag for the Tripura's Rignai.

Rignai is a traditional textile product from Tripura made by skilled weavers on handlooms. Rignai is a long piece of cloth worn as a lower garment by the women of Tripura. It is usually worn with a risa, a short cloth that covers the upper half of the body.

Meanwhile, the Peda of Mata Bari (Tripura Sundari Temple), which also received the GI tag, had its application filed by Matabari Mahila Cluster Level Bahumukhi Samabaya Samity Ltd, led by its president, Baby Das in Udaipur, Gomati District.

Peda is a sweet prepared from the pindi variety of khoa by the addition of sugar. Pindi khoa has a smooth and homogenous body and texture and is generally free from burnt particles and browning defects. Peda has a higher shelf life because of its lower moisture content and sugar. Pedas hold religious importance as they are offered as "Prasad" during worship in temples. Region-specific varieties of peda are popular in different regions of the country. Peda is characterized as a circular, slightly flattened ball with low moisture content, white to creamy white in color, and a smooth texture.

There is a Matabari Peda market that welcomes visitors with several stores selling the famed sweet. It looks no different from most pedas, made of regular cow milk and sugar.

According to the report of the Geographical Indications Registry, nearly 500 people are actively associated with the 'Peda' trade, including shop owners, workers, and helpers hired in the shops. Women are involved in quality milk production in villages and are linked with self-help groups, forming the backbone of the Matabari traditional Peda. Matabari Peda is characterized as a circular, slightly flattened ball with low moisture content, white to creamy white in color, and a smooth texture.

'Peda,' a sweet dish prepared from Kheer and milk, is one of the prime attractions of the Tripura Sundari temple, and devotees across the globe revere this item as an auspicious offering to Mata Tripurasundari.

After a gap of five years, the association of 'Peda' traders has unanimously decided to increase the prices to Rs 440 per kg from Rs 400 per kg. In 2015, the price was increased from Rs 350.

The number of 'Peda' shops is also going to be increased from 72 to 80, and the total quantity would be one-third of what it was in normal times ahead of Deepavali. "Last year 2,000 kilograms of Peda were prepared before the Deepavali festival.