Jaderi Namakatti : GI Tag
The Jaderi namakatti was given the GI tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.
- Jaderi namakatti are clay sticks that are white in colour, usually available in finger-like shape with a smooth texture.
- Jaderi is a small village in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu.
- There are around 120 families in Cheyyar taluk whose primary occupation has been the making of namakatti for more than hundreds of years now.
- Namakatti is made up of the rich deposit of hydrous silicate minerals that form fine grain particles of clay.
- The clay is processed and shaped in a finger like structure.
- The production of namakatti depends on the climatic condition as it needs a lot of sunlight to dry.
- It is used to adorn the foreheads of idols, men, and temple elephants as well as traditionally to treat stretch marks caused by by childbirth.
