Risa Textile : GI Tag
Tripura’s traditional tribal attire ‘risa’ received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag recently.
- Risa Textile is a handwoven cloth used as a female upper garment and also as headgear, a stole, or a present to express respect.
- It is woven in colourful designs and has a crucial social and religious significance.
- Adolescent Tripuri girls are first given a risa to wear in an event called Risa Sormani, around age 12 to 14.
- The risa is used in religious festivals such as Garia Puja by tribal communities, a turban by men during weddings and festivals, a cummerbund over the dhoti, a head scarf by young girls and boys and a muffler during winters.
- It is presented as a mark of honour to distinguished recipients.
- Risa is common in almost all 19 indigenous tribal communities of Tripura.
- The traditional Tripuri female attire consists of three parts — risa, rignai and rikutu.
- Risa is a handwoven cloth used as a female upper garment.
- Rignai is primarily worn as the lower garment and literally means ‘to wear’.
- Rituku is mainly used as a wrap, or like a ‘chunri’ or a ‘pallu’ of the Indian saree. It is also used to cover the heads of newly married Tripuri women.
- The complete Tripuri attire is claimed to have originated even before the time of the Manikya kings, who ruled Tripura for over 500 years starting from the 15th century.
