Abstract
The paper examines the role of the Indian ritualistic textile: Mata Ni Pachedi in influencing the culture through the lens of social mobility with the use of folk narrative to create inclusivity within the marginalised communities of India. Mata Ni Pachedi is a textile from the Indian province of Gujarat, practised by the Vaghari community. The story dates back some three centuries when Gujarat’s nomadic Vaghari community (now called Devipujaks, a so-called low caste community) were barred from entering the temples. The Outcast Vaghari community then started to paint the Shakti or mother goddess on a piece of cotton cloth to worship as a deity, this very cloth today is called Mata Ni Pachedi. The story depicted on this rectangular cotton cloth is of Maa Durga: the mother goddess’s victory over evil. Central to the art form are motifs of the Cock / Tiger, Umbrella, many half-animal half-human figures, the Goddess herself, her weapons and the 7 by 9 division of the cloth narrating the story. The colours traditionally used for the art were Maroon / red, white and black. Over the last two decades, authors have studied various traditional Indian arts, crafts and associated folklore. Employing the existing literature, artisan interviews and visually analysing the art form we form insights into Indian shared culture and conflicting norms.
Presenters
Richa SharmaAssociate Professor, Textile Design, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
RITUALISTIC TEXTILES, FOLK NARRATIVES, FOLK ART, MATA NI PACHEDI
