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?

Ans. Urali, Mannan, and Muthuvan

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

Ans. One month or more

Source: TH