Mata Ni Pachedi- A Sacred Textile Art Narrating Stories Of Devotion

The creation of a Mata ni Pachedi

Mata ni Pachedi art, an artistic sacred and ancient textile wall piece, involves a step-by-step process.

The artist first outlines the artwork in black. This color is obtained from iron through a 15-day process. The art in its full form has a female deity as a central figure. The rest of the arrangements are placed in a grid with architecture-like insertions in the form of doors and archways in a stylized format.

Wooden block printing and painting are the two techniques used to create the Mata ni Pachedi; the former is for borders and certain figures, and brushes and paint is for freehand drawings, embellishments, and some flights of fancy that the artist may choose to incorporate.

The artists combine free hand painting with hand block printing. While some forms are made free-hand, wooden hand blocks are also used. 

Some common blocks used for printing Mata ni Pachedi-The sun and the moon are generally seen in the two top corners of a Mata ni Pachedi. There are musicians, singers, shamans, birds, and animals that seem to dance and fly in celebration of the goddess.

The elegance and refinement of all these shapes depend on the block maker's carving skills and the Chittara painter's artistic qualities.

The painting process

Once the outline is ready, the red color is filled in using brushes made from bamboo. From a solution of alum mixed with tamarind seed powder a natural dye is made. The solution appears yellow at first as a non-permanent dye is mixed in to make it visible during the application. A deep red/maroon is developed on the fabric after it is treated with the mordant alizarin. 

Washing and drying

To this day, the artists go down to the banks of the Sabarmati, which flows through the city, for this phase of production. The washed cloth is washed to remove any excess dye and then dried on the rocks and pipes nearby. Dried Dhanwa flowers are also added. To ensure that a uniform solution is made, the alizarin is wrapped in a piece of cloth that functions as a makeshift pouch, which is then lowered into a container with water. The cloth is then boiled in this solution for a while, and when removed, the red color is visibly developed.

The art piece is then ready to be put out for drying. Natural dyeing processes are sensitive to climate conditions, hence the strength of the sun’s rays affects the final intensity of the color. Keeping in mind the above condition, monsoon is not generally a favorable time for dyeing because of the humidity in the air. 

The Symbolic meaning of Maroon and black color in Mata ni Pachedi paintings

Maroon/Red symbolizes Mother Earth or Gaea and its healing properties while black repels negative forces and amplifies spiritual energy. 

A story through Mata ni Pachedi

During Navaratri, the nine days when incarnations of the Goddess Durga are worshiped across large parts of India, demand is increased for the Mata or Mother Goddess shrine cloth.

During the festive days of Navratri when the Mother Goddess is worshipped throughout India, these are set up and elaborately decorated. A classic Mata ni Pachedi follows a specific pattern. At the center is an image of the Mother Goddess framed in a shrine or temple. On both sides of this is the imagery symbolizing her worshipers, and also has references to religious epics and folklore.

There are multiple forms and attributes of the goddess and each of the communities sharing the tradition of the Mata ni Pachedi has its particular deity. Each of the goddesses also has her own seat or form of transport. Mamai Mata sits atop a camel, while Goddess Chamundi rides a lion, and Goddess Vahanvati travels in a boat. The iconography also represents different attributes associated with the legends of the Mother Goddess.

Ganesha, who is considered auspicious for all beginnings, is commonly seen to the left of the Mata's image. The Mother's worshippers are depicted by praying and recalling the ritual ceremonies associated with the faith. You can see the sacrificial goat that will be offered to the goddess, the shaman holding his whisk made of peacock feathers, and the musicians.

References to the religious epics are also included in the sacred textile art. Shravan Kumar from the Ramayana, who is the embodiment of obedience, is often seen carrying his blind parents on a pilgrimage. Images showing Lord Krishna or Rama are recognized by the viewer through reference symbols, such as Rama’s bow or Krishna’s flute.

Other images capture customary beliefs. The saying that one should never look back is signified by an image of a two-headed deer, one head looking forward and the other looking back. The Mata ni Pachedi art captures various valued beliefs and symbols. It breaks the barriers of banning entry into the temple. It goes beyond the temple to encapsulate many aspects of what is considered sacred for the communities that it binds together in their faith in the Mother Goddess.