Kannadipaya

Kannadipaya Latest News

Kannadippaya, a unique tribal handicraft from Kerala, recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, ensuring market protection and a global platform for this traditional product.

About Kannadipaya

• It is a traditional craft from Kerala that uses reed bamboo to weave baskets, mats, and other daily use items.
• Kannadipaya, crafted by Urali, Mannan, and Muthuvan tribal communities, is made using Teinostachyum wightii (a species of bamboo), which the tribal people call ‘njoonjiletta.
• The mat has a polished surface, which is smooth and reflects light like a mirror. Hence, the name kannadipaya (kannadi meaning mirror and paya meaning mat).
• The mat — which usually measures 0.75-1.0 m × 2 m — is so flexible that it can be rolled up into a culm of bamboo less than 10 cm in diameter. 
• It takes more than a month for a weaver to complete a kannadipaya.
• It is woven with a specific layer of slivers – the fourth or fifth, which can be made ultra-thin and shiny – split out of a reed bamboo species endemic to the region. 
• The bamboo collection is a full-moon ritual, with each expedition to the forest and back extending to a day and night.

Kannadipaya FAQs

Q1. What is Kannadipaya?

Ans. It is a traditional craft from Kerala that uses reed bamboo to weave baskets, mats, and other daily use items.

Q2. Which tribal communities are traditionally involved in making Kannadipaya?

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Ans. Urali, Mannan, and Muthuvan

Q3. How long does it take to weave a single Kannadipaya?

Ans. One month or more

Source: TH