Identifying an authentic Assamese Gamosa has become a dilemma for those adorning this beautiful cultural heritage of Assam!
As we wrote in our previous posts, despite being conferred with a GI tag and the availability of blockchain traceability, Assamese Gamosa is still subjected to large-scale counterfeit productions in states like UP, Bihar, Gujarat, etc. Even if we add advanced Web3 tech to trace the source, it can never be 100% reliable without a proper system and automation in place. This requires further research though!
The Blockchain Traceability:
Blockchain, by far, has emerged as the most prized tool in establishing the authenticity of any product by adding traceability to the source. But what if the source itself is compromised or dubious, falsely tagging a Gamosa as an original at the inventory establishments? These particular sets of questions do not just need answers but rather require both qualitative and quantitative research, which sadly is very low in numbers in this particular area.
Traditional Ways to Identify an Authentic Assamese Gamosa:
The best way to identify an Assamese Gamosa for its authenticity is to do it in the traditional ways:
Pattern: If the floral patterns in the Gamosa are too complicated, it might indicate the use of a power/mechanical loom. The use of mechanical/power loom automatically disqualifies any Gamosa to be a true Assamese handloom Gamosa.
Smell: Yes, you can identify whether a Gamosa is authentic or not by its smell. A counterfeit Gamosa made in a power loom always carries the smell of some kind of oil (diesel mostly) in it. On the other hand, an authentic Gamosa might smell damp but never the oil.
Punch Holes: Every Gamosa made by an Assamese weaver on a handloom bears some small punch holes on both sides of the Gamosa. This happens during the fixture of the Gamosa into the loom to keep it tight during the process of weaving. So, if there are no such minute holes on a Gamosa, it is not authentic.
Threads: Assamese weavers use pure cotton threads while weaving a Gamosa. So, any mixture of polyester and other materials indicates the probability of a spurious Gamosa.
Though we are super fans of Blockchain traceability and have already made the web3-based traceable MVP ready for one of our clients, Web3 or any other technology alone cannot help identify an authentic Assamese Gamosa. Rather, it is the awareness required at large scales supported by empirical evidence from related research.
If you are still not sure about how to identify an authentic Assamese gamosa, send us an email at birina.net@gmail.com and we will try to answer your doubts over a video call.
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