| Nachiarkoil lamp | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
 Top of Nachiarkoil lamp | |
| Alternative names | Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku, Annam lamp, and Kammalar lamp |
| Description | Handicraft (lamp) |
| Type | Brass |
| Area | Kammalar street in Nachiyar Koil of Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
| Registered | 8 February 2010 |
| Material | Brass |
The Nachiarkoil lamp, also called Annam lamp or Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku, is an ornamental brass lamp made of series of diyas, a handicraft product which is exclusively made by Kammalar community in Natchiarkoil town in Tamil Nadu, India.[1][2][3] The lamp, which is hollow cast, is made in different sizes and consists of four parts which are screwed together. The central pillar that crowns at the apex is called the "Prabhai"; it is generally in the form of a hamsa or swan.[2][3] The lamp may also be made in the form of a female figurine holding a shallow bowl in a standing posture, or in the form of branches of a tree; the bowl of these lamps has five V-shaped spouts which hold cotton wicks, and is filled with oil for lighting. The ornamental lamps are widely used in temples in South India.[2][3][4]
This product has been registered for protection under the Geographical indication of the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. On 8 February 2010 it was registered as "Nachiarkoil Kuthuvilakku (lamp)" under the Geographical Indications Act 1999 of the Government of India, with registration confirmed by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks under Class – 6 – Brass Lamps and related goods vide application number 196.[3] A two-year training programme for student craftsmen is organised by the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd, known as Poompuhar, in Nachiarkoil.[5]
- ^ PM Narendra Modi gifts Xi Jinping Annam lamp, Times of India, 11 october 2019.
- ^ a b c K. Lakshminarayanan; R. Kannan (2004). A Guide to the Exposition on the Progress of Industries and Handicrafts of Tamilnadu, Government Museum, Chennai. Commissioner of Museums, Government Museum. p. 28.
- ^ a b c d "Geographical Indication Journal No. 47" (PDF). Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. 30 October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ Sivaraman, R. (7 March 2013). "GI tag for Nachiarkoil brass lamp, Pattamadai mat". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Where artisans learn intricacies of handicrafts". The Hindu. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2016.