A longside Bihu’s entry into the Guinness Book of World Records came one more piece of good news for Assam: a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the gamosa, the traditional hand-woven Assamese towel. While the Assam Chief Minister formally received the Geographical Indication Registration Certificate for Asomiya Gamosa from the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks and Registrar of GI Registry last Thursday, what is most important is that the GI Registration has provided legal recognition to the gamosa apart from ensuring the protection of lakhs of weavers in the state. This development is also set to put an end to the production of machine-made gamosas in other states of the country, an act that will now be considered illegal. Cheap production of duplicate gamosas in certain other states of the country had in the past few decades taken a heavy toll on the gamosa economy of the state, with lakhs of weavers failing to compete because of the heavy production cost of the hand-woven gamosa. But, now that the GI registration has come through, it will ensure that production of gamosa will be restricted only to a definite geographical area or territory—i.e., Assam—and that no other state can produce and market the product. It is also important to note that eight different varieties of the gamosa have been given the GI registration: the Uka or Sadharan Gamosa, the Phulam Gamosa, the Bihuwan, the Tiyani or Pani Gamosa, the Anakata Gamosa, the Telos Gamosa, the Dora Boron or Jor Gamosa, and the Gossain Gamosa. As the Chief Minister said, it is indeed a moment of honour and pride for the people of Assam just before the Rongali Bihu celebration that the Asomiya Gamosa has received the GI tag. This certificate will also provide legal recognition for Assam, which will protect the gamosa’s quality and distinctiveness. What should now follow is strict monitoring to ensure that duplicate and illegally manufactured gamosas do not henceforth trickle into the market. Simultaneously, the department concerned has now to ensure that local weavers produce good-quality gamosas so that the hard-earned GI registration and the protection do not go to waste.