Assam: Bodo Aronai, Food Items and Beverages Granted GI Tag

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Eight more iconic items of Bodo culture have been granted the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag, providing an impetus to the recognition and popularity of traditional products from BTR in Assam. The eight items comprise the traditional Bodo scarf called Aronai, three items of rice beer ‘Bodo Jou Gwran’, ‘Maibra Jou Bidwi’, and ‘Bodo Jou Gishi’, and four traditional food items ‘Bodo Napham’, ‘Bodo Ondla’, ‘Bodo Gwkha, and ‘Bodo Narzi’.

The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai has granted the GI tag to eight iconic products from the Bodo community in Assam, including traditional food items and several unique varieties of rice beer.

The ‘Bodo Aronai’, a small, beautiful cloth used as a scarf on festive occasions, has been accorded the GI tag. Aronai is a symbol of the Boro traditional culture and is used to honour and felicitate guests as a gift. The Bodo Traditional Brewers Association successfully filed applications for GI tags for three variants of rice beer. The first variant, ‘Bodo Jou Gwran’, has the highest percentage of alcohol (about 16.11%) when compared with other varieties of rice beer made by the Bodos. The second variant, ‘Maibra Jou Bidwi’, also known as ‘Maibra Jwu Bidwi’ or ‘Maibra Zwu Bidwi’, is a revered rice beer and welcome drink served by most tribes of the Bodo community. The third variant, called ‘Bodo Jou Gishi’, is also a traditional fermented alcoholic beverage made from rice.

The Bodo people have a long tradition of consuming rice beer, like other tribal communities of Assam. The Bodo people accord divine status to rice beer and believe the drink originated from Lord Shiva. The beverages are also taken as medicine, according to the GI filing.

The Association of Traditional Food Products applied for and successfully obtained GI tags for four traditional food items of the Bodo community. The first is ‘Bodo Napham’, an important and favourite dish of fermented fish prepared in a process requiring around three months. Due to heavy rainfall and the limited availability of fish throughout the year, the Bodo people preserve fish using different techniques, including smoking, drying, salting, fermentation, and marination. The preserved fish is then used to prepare different food items.

The other food item that got a GI tag is ‘Bodo Ondla’, a rice powder curry flavoured with garlic, ginger, salt, and alkali. Another one is the ‘Bodo Gwkha’, locally also known as ‘Gwka Gwkhi’, and it’s specially prepared during the Bwisagu festival, coinciding with the Bihu festival. The fourth speciality food item to bag the coveted GI tag is ‘Bodo Narzi’, a semi-fermented food prepared with jute leaves.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on his X handle, “Glad to share that 8 traditional items of BTR in Assam have been granted the GI Tag, indicating its unique nature and rich history. These include items like the Aronai, Bodo Nafam, and Ondla, among others. Congratulations to the people of Assam and BTR on this special occasion.”

Pramod Boro, the Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council, also took to his handle on X to say, “A moment of great pride for our Bodo community! 8 iconic items of Bodo identity, the Aronai—the pride of all Bodo people; our traditional foods, the Napham, Ondla, Gwkha, and Narzi; and our unique Bodo drinks, the Jou Gwran, Jou Bidwi, and Jou Gishi—all have been granted the prestigious GI tag.”

He added, “My heartiest greetings & congratulations to all Bodo people on this momentous occasion. I also take this opportunity to thank Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and Hon’ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa for their continued guidance & care for the welfare of BTR.”

It should be mentioned here that several Bodo items were earlier given the GI tag. They are: Bodo Keradapini, Gongar Dunjia, Dokhona, Bodo Eri Silk, Bodo Jwmgra, Bodo Gamsa, Bodo Thorkha, Bodo Kham, Bodo Serja, Bodo Sifung, Bodo Gongona, Bodo Jotha, etc.

Also Read: 10-Day Cultural Workshop on Bodo Dance and Musical Instruments Concludes at Bodoland University (sentinelassam.com)

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