A mat awaits GI tag boost July 10, 2021, 8:24 AM IST It shines like a mirror and hence it is called ‘Kannadipaya’. The unique craft of weaving mats using the innermost layers of the stems of a certain species of bamboo collected from deep inside the forest is known only to Urali tribes of Venmani in Idukki. But as the traditional way of making them has not been documented and as the younger generation among the tribespeople is not interested in the highly skilled work, it could well be a part of forgotten history if the efforts of a few people to reverse the trend don’t bear fruit.