The Chief Minister's Office of Jharkhand announced on Thursday, 18 June 2026 that several of the state's distinctive cultural and culinary products — including the Mandar drum, Dhuska, Paitkar paintings, Deoghar Peda, and the forest mushroom Rugda — are currently in the application process for Geographical Indication (GI) tags, signalling a concerted state-level push to protect Jharkhand's intangible and tangible heritage through intellectual-property law.

Context

The post, shared on the official @JharkhandCMO account, states in Hindi: 'Mandar, Dhuska, Paitkar Painting, Deoghar Peda, aur Rugda jaise kai anya anokhe utpadon ke liye bhi avedan prakriya mein hain…' — meaning, 'Applications are also in process for many other unique products such as Mandar, Dhuska, Paitkar Painting, Deoghar Peda, and Rugda.' The ellipsis suggests the list is illustrative, not exhaustive, pointing to a broader portfolio of products being pursued simultaneously.

Each product carries deep cultural significance. The Mandar is a traditional tribal drum central to the performing arts of Jharkhand's indigenous communities. Dhuska is a fried rice-and-lentil delicacy associated with the state's cuisine. Paitkar paintings are a centuries-old scroll-painting tradition practised by the Chitrakar community. Deoghar Peda is a milk-based sweet tied to the pilgrimage economy of Deoghar, home to the revered Baidyanath Temple. Rugda is a wild mushroom foraged from Jharkhand's forests and prized in local cooking.

Policy Backdrop

GI tags in India are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, administered by the Geographical Indications Registry under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. A registered GI tag confers legal protection against imitation and misuse, and is widely regarded as a tool to boost the commercial value of region-specific goods.

Indian states have increasingly filed GI applications as part of a national effort to document and commercialise cultural heritage. Jharkhand's move fits into this broader pattern, with state governments viewing GI status as a way to strengthen rural livelihoods, support traditional artisans, and put lesser-known regional products on the national and international map.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of successful GI registration would be traditional artisans — including Paitkar painters and Mandar craftspeople — and local food producers such as Deoghar Peda makers and Rugda foragers. A GI tag would give these communities legal recourse against counterfeit products and could open doors to premium pricing in export markets.

For Deoghar, a GI tag for its Peda could reinforce the town's identity as a pilgrimage and cultural destination, potentially boosting tourism-linked commerce. For tribal communities, recognition of the Mandar and Paitkar tradition through an IP framework adds a formal layer of cultural preservation to what has historically been oral and community-transmitted knowledge.

What's Next

The applications are currently being processed by the Geographical Indications Registry. Once examined and published in the GI Journal, applications are open to opposition before a tag is formally granted. The timeline for each product may vary based on documentation completeness and any objections raised during the process.

Should these GI tags be approved, the Jharkhand government is expected to pursue state-level branding and marketing initiatives to leverage the protected status — a step that could significantly raise the profile of these products beyond the state's borders and integrate them into mainstream craft and food commerce.