How a GI tag is rewriting the economy of Tripura’s silent strings

For decades, the survival of the Sarinda, Tripura’s ancient stringed instrument, rested precariously on the calloused hands of a handful of tribal craftsmen. Carving it from a single block of wood requires gruelling physical labour, yet the financial return was rarely enough to cover even a family’s basic groceries. The younger generation increasingly traded the traditional craft for retail jobs in cities, gradually pushing the music of the hills towards extinction.

But a recently granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag has changed the equation. By securing the GI tag, Tripura has transformed its traditional tribal instrument into a legally protected cultural asset. The move is expected not only to strengthen the state’s economy but also to protect the Sarinda from cheap, factory-made imitations, helping tribal luthiers convert a regional heritage into a premium livelihood. Unlike instruments such as the violin or guitar, which are assembled from several pieces of treated wood, the Sarinda is crafted from a single solid block of locally sourced timber.

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A master craftsman begins with a log, usually from a Gamari or jackfruit tree, using only traditional hand tools. The lower body is painstakingly hollowed out to create a skincovered resonator, while the upper section is sculpted into an elegant bird-in-flight motif. It is a painstaking process. Yet, in the unregulated handicrafts market of the Northeast, Sarindas were often sold to tourists or middlemen at meagre prices. “You cannot expect a young man to sit and carve wood for months if he can earn three times as much working in a shopping mall in Guwahati or Delhi,” says a cultural researcher based in Agartala. “The tragedy of the Sarinda was never a lack of cultural pride.

It was simply a failure of economics and the handicrafts market in the North-East. The craft was bleeding its youth.” The GI tag seeks to disrupt this cycle by introducing legal exclusivity. Selling a mass-produced synthetic instrument as an authentic Tripura Sarinda is now a punishable offence, much like counterfeiting a luxury watch. This immediately strengthens the bargaining power of tribal craftsmen. With the protection of the GI tag, artisans can gradually reduce their dependence on exploitative middlemen. It serves as a globally recognised mark of authenticity, enabling them to command better prices from collectors, musicians and cultural institutions across the world.

The move also forms part of Tripura’s broader strategy of using intellectual property to build a premium identity around its indigenous products. The Sarinda now joins the ranks of the Tripura Risha and the Tripura Queen Pineapple, both of which have successfully leveraged GI recognition. The Tripura Risha, a traditional handwoven tribal fabric once worn only within local communities, is now showcased on national fashion runways. Likewise, the Tripura Queen Pineapple has secured a premium position in export markets because of its distinctive quality and identity.

With the addition of the Sarinda to its portfolio, Tripura is increasingly using intellectual property rights to build a unified and globally recognisable brand for its tribal economy. The true success of the GI tag, however, will not be measured by certificates hanging in government offices, but by the kitchen tables of the tribal luthiers. If this legal protection succeeds in multiplying the value of every hand-carved Sarinda, it could transform the instrument from a fading relic into a viable and respected profession. For Tripura’s youth, this is not merely about preserving culture. It is about creating sustainable livelihoods.

Better earnings could reduce migration, giving young artisans a compelling reason to remain in their native villages, pick up the adze and chisel, and carry forward the legacy of their ancestors. The melancholic strains of the Sarinda have long been described as the voice of Tripura’s soul. With the state’s fourth GI tag now officially secured, that voice may finally have the economic strength to ensure it is never silenced.