TN: Despite GI tag for Soapstone craft, raw material crisis threaten Namakkal’s artisans
Namakkal, Dec 13 (LatestNewsX) – The soapstone artisans of Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal area find themselves at a crossroads. Even though their famous cookware, known as Namakkal Makkal Pattirangal, has just earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, the future of the craft remains uncertain.
Although the GI recognition has increased awareness and boosted sales for this age‑old tradition, the artisans say it has done little to solve their biggest problem: the steady depletion of high‑quality soapstone, the lifeblood of their work.
For countless generations, families from Namakkal and its environs have shaped kalchattis and other pots out of a unique, magnesium‑rich, velvet‑soft stone that keeps heat even, allows slow fermentation, and locks in nutrients. The stone is traditionally quarried from local districts such as Mangalapuram, Periyasoragai, Aranganur, and parts of Salem, but most easy‑to‑reach seams have run out. Today, the remaining deposits lie deep underground or inside protected forest zones where quarrying is forbidden.
Sourcing stone from these deeper layers now requires machines, and the permits for such activity have become harder to obtain. Consequently, many craftsmen worry that limited access to raw material could stifle production, even as the GI tag has sparked renewed demand for their products.
The craft remains largely confined to small, family‑run workshops in rural areas near former quarry sites. Despite growing interest, the industry hasn’t scaled up, partly because the specialised techniques are handed down within families and rely on a steady supply of suitable stone.
Those who secured the GI tag argue that the craft’s survival over centuries distinguishes it from many other fading handicrafts. Governments are now promoting soapstone cookware through displays and training sessions, and large retailers are showing greater enthusiasm. Yet without reliable and legally sanctioned access to raw material, artisans feel they cannot expand their output or fully seize new market opportunities.
Forest officials stress that extraction permissions are strictly governed by existing laws. Limited quarrying may be allowed in non‑protected areas where land status permits it, but extraction inside reserved forest zones remains prohibited.
As demand for traditional, eco‑friendly cookware rises, Namakkal’s soapstone makers caution that a name alone won’t secure their future. They need a clear policy that ensures sustainable, lawful access to raw material; otherwise, the heritage of this GI‑tagged craft remains at risk.
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