The Travancore Dewaswom Board (TDB) is seeking to get patents for its temple prasadams, including Ambalapuzha Palpayasam, Sabarimala Aravana, and Kottarakara Unniyappam.
TDB’s president A Padmakumar said that they have decided to obtain a patent cover for their iconic temple prasadams following a report pointing some people who had not just tried to make counterfeit Ambalapuzha Palpayasam but also sold it to gain profits illegally. Obtaining a patent will prevent unauthorized producers and sellers from fraudulently producing and selling the products under Ambalapuzha Palpayasam or a similar name.
He added that the board had put this step to determine the sale of false versions of its iconic temple prasadams as many catering agencies, bakeries, etc., are found to be involved in not only preparing the same or similar palpayasam but even claiming it to be the real Ambalapuzha Palpayasam. The CTB has commenced making legal moves to deal with the cheaters who are deceiving people by naming their prasadams as the popular Ambalapuzha Palpayasam. The law department already has been asked to assist the board with legal opinions to handle the case.
Mr. A Padmakumar further explained that it is for the first time in history when temple prasadams will be going to get secured under Patent Protection. The decision to get the patent rights has been made under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. As per this Geographical Indications Act (GI Act), which refers to a sui generis Act of the Parliament of India for better protection of Geographical Indications related to products in India, no one except the authorized user is allowed to use the name of a specific product.
Earlier this month, the TDB had initiated some legal measures against a bakery for allegedly preparing and marketing milk porridge in sealed packages under the Ambalapuzha Palpayasam. Besides bakeries, many marriage caterers and catering houses are discovered making profits by trading counterfeit palpayasam as Ambalapuzha Palpayasam, and the board has decided to act legally against them, said the president. The real prasadam is prepared, offered to the deity, and then distributed to the devotees at the temple. Lastly, he said that this is the first case where anyone is making efforts to get patents for the temple offerings. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com
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