Hyderabad: At a time when the famed Tirupati laddu finds itself in the eye of a storm over allegations of adulteration, artisans residing at the foothills of Tirumala, who have been chiselling Lord Ba...
In Hyderabad, amidst controversy surrounding the Tirupati laddu, artisans in the Tirumala foothills are preparing to seek a geographical indication tag for their centuries-old tradition of crafting intricate wooden statues of deities like Lord Balaji. Known as Madhavamala wood carvings, these skilled artisans are renowned for their lifelike idols, decorative household items, and furniture. The Sri Balaji Wood Carvings Mutually Aided Cooperative Society Limited, representing over 500 artisans, plans to submit the application with the support of NABARD. This will be the 20th geographical indication filed from Andhra Pradesh, guided by GI practitioner Subhajit Saha and NABARD.
