Mata Ni Pachedi www.craftcanvas.com
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Table of Contents • About Us • Introduction • Mythology
• Material Used • Process of Mata ni Pachedi • Motifs • Contemporary Adaptations • Additional References
• Image Source
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About Us CraftCanvas is a link between rural artisan communities and the urban customer, translating an ages old craft into something that is relevant today. It is based on the idea of contemporizing Indian Handicrafts through a common platform and canvas where stake holders of the craft community like artisans, designers, craft practitioners, etc can come together to create unique products and experiences suited to modern day living. India has a rich handicraft heritage and we owe this to generations of artisans who have blended tradition, religion, social norms and functionality to bring craft where it is today. However, there has been a significant shift in sensibilities of present-day craft patrons thereby highlighting a need for Handicrafts to adapt to these changes. We believe that there is a place for India’s traditional crafts even in the most modern of spaces and this process of evolution is what CraftCanvas facilitates. Handicraft patrons like you can express your requirements ranging from wall murals, soft furnishings, paintings, furniture and lighting among many others. Our team will assist you in transforming their ideas and aesthetic preferences to final products with a high level of artistry. On the other end, we are constantly forming collaborations between the craft and design community through which an interesting blend of experiences and products are developed. Working with designers, traditional artisans are trained to adapt to this new design scenario. For designers, it gives them an opportunity to create solutions that embody the essence of the craft. Subsequently, these innovations are marketed by CraftCanvas through channels like online store, workshops, exhibitions etc. Please feel free to browse through our site for specific information on our various initiatives and we look forward to welcoming you to our world of crafts.
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Introduction
Traditional Mata ni Pachedi in three colours
"Mata ni Pachedi" means, "behind the mother goddess". In the earlier times, it was known as temple hangings or back drop from Gujarat. A 300 year old craft, it originated from Ahmedabad, and Viramgam in Kheda District, Gujarat. Traditionally the Mata ni Pachedi was painted on walls of temples (Mudh of Mata's). It was done using Kalamkari technique. "Kalam" means pen and "Kari" means working skills. The Mata ni Pachedi was both painted and printed textile where first the printing was done with bold outline blocks and then painting (filling of colour) was done with Kalam.
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Mythology
Devipujak performing the ritual in Mata ni Pachedi shrine
This art form was first brought about by the nomadic Devipujak community (originally called Vaghari) from Gujarat, who later settled in Ahmedabad on the banks of the Sabarmati River more than 200 years ago. The people of the community belonged to a lower caste and were labeled the ‘Untouchables'. Ethnographic studies show that for a long time in history, the Devipujak community was denied entry into temples. The Devipujaks found an ingenious solution to this problem in the Mata ni Pachedi, thus giving rise to a beautiful folk-art form. They painted an image of the Goddess on a piece of cloth, hung it up behind the temple and directed their worship at the painting of the Goddess. The unique feature of these temple hangings is that instead of being hung behind an icon, four to five pieces of these hangings were used to form a shrine for the goddess. While the Chitaras were the artists who painted the shrine hangings, the bhuvoor bhuva was the priest to perform the rituals and jagorais were the singers who interpreted the pachedis. Although contemporary India has abolished the restrictive practices towards the community, their 200-300 year old tradition of worshipping the Mata ni Pachedi continues even today. While earlier imagery always depicted the goddess in the center, modern renditions enjoy a larger degree of artistic freedom.
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Materials Used
Hand carved wooden block
A mixture prepared for the dyeing of cloth
All the materials used in the creation of Mata ni Pachedi, such as the dyes, fabric and the bamboo stick Kalams (pens) are organic. Apart from these, hand carved blocks are also used in the process.
List of Materials for Mata Ni Pachedi Stages
Process
Material
Stage 1
Fabric Treatment
Stage 2
Printing
Harda Powder (Myrobalan powder) Milk Castor oil Bamboo Stick Kalams (pens) Rulers Carved wood blocks Black dye Jaggery Scrap Iron Metal Kachukaatta (tamarind seed powder) Tamarind seed powder Alum Alizarin Dhwada ka phool
Black Dye
Stage 3
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Dyeing
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Process of Mata ni Pachedi
Process of making the composition
Composition of traditional Pachedis Step 1: Bold borders (lassapatti) are marked out on a rectangular piece of cloth Step 2: An architectural rendering of a temple is drawn at its center, which houses the main mother goddess image.. The community worships many Goddesses and each of them are represented by their vehicle. For instance, the 20 hand Vishat Mata rides on a buffalo, while the Ranna Devi,Goddess of the desert, rides on a camel Step 3: Around this are panels of incidents linked to the myth of the central deity as well as scenes from daily life. Conventionally, the rectangular fabric is divided into seven to nine columns making it easier to interpret and impart the stories within the piece Step 4: The borders are decorated with intricate pattern
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Artisan painting the cloth with the mixture of tamarind seed powder and alum for red colour
Making of Pachedis
Step 1: The grey fabric bought from the local market is unsuitable for dyeing or printing process unless soaked in water for 24 hours to remove the coating of starch Step 2: Fabric is then soaked in the paste of harda (Myrobalan seed) powder and water for about 10-15 minutes and dried in the sun Step 3: The design is composed Step 4: Outlines of the drawings are manually painted using bamboo stick/brush or with the wooden blocks with black color, which is prepared by heating a mixture of jaggery, scrap iron metal (iron sulphate) and kachukaatta (tamarind seed powder) Step 5: In areas that need red colour, a mixture made by heating the mixture of the water, tamarind seed powder and alum is applied Step 6: The fabric that at this point looks yellow with black colored figures on it is dried under direct sunlight
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Painted cloth boiled in alizarin to get the red colour
Step 7: The fabric is boiled with alizarin, a yellow coloured powder made from the root of the madder plant, traditionally used as a mordant that reacts with alum to bring out the red color Step 8: Dhawda ka phool (Dhawda flowers) is added once it reaches the boiling point. It is checked periodically to ensure that the red colour do not stain the white areas of the painting Step 9: The craftsmen wash the cloth on the banks of river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad so that excess color flows away and doesn’t stain white areas of the fabric Step 10: The fabric is spread on the banks for sun bleaching and drying, where no foot of man or animal is allowed to be placed on this sacred cloth Step 11: In case the painting requires other colours, further processing is done Step 12: Work stops completely during the rainy season as the damp wet weather is not feasible for printing. One person can make about 25-30 simple Mata ni Pachedis in a month
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Motifs Central Goddess Motifs: The Devipujaks believe that the Goddess have 100 forms, each identified by a unique vehicle. The different reincarnations of the Goddess are Ambika (vehicle: tiger), Bahuchara (vehicle cock), Meladi (vehicle goat), Khodiar (vehicle crocodile) and Vishat (vehicle water buffalo) etc.
Vishad Maa
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Khodiar Maa
Bahuchara Maa
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Ranna Maa
Ambika Maa
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Additional motifs:
Ganesha, Krishna, women with flowers, trumpeters, angels, animals and birds such as peacocks, tigers, parrots etc.
Women with flower motif
Peacock motif
Ganesha motif
Representation of various motifs: Symbolizes eradication of vices, and the need to discriminate and eradicate evil qualities. Conch Symbolizes happiness Symbolizes unlimited power and is also the vehicle for Goddess Tiger Durga. Sun Symbolizes continuity of life.
Sword
Representations of various colours: Maroon Black
White
It is associated with the color of the mother Earth and is believed to possess healing powers. The dye is obtained from alizarin & alum It is meant to repel evil spirits and intensify spiritual energy. It is obtained from oxidized iron & molasses. It is considered the color for purity and contact with ancestral spirits, deities and spiritual entities. This colour comes from the natural cotton, silk fabric used in the textile.
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Contemporary Adaptations
Traditional Mata ni Pachedi Tree of Life done on the wall of a spa by CraftCanvas
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Curtain designed using Mata ni Pachedi block printing technique by CraftCanvas
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Additional References
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http://www.craftcanvas.com/blog http://gaatha.com/mata-ni-pachedi-ahmedabad/ http://www.matanipachedi.in/ http://www.cohands.in/handmadepages/pdf/422.pdf https://explorethisway.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/mata-ni-pachedi/ http://gujaratkalamkari.blogspot.in/2006/02/mata-ni-pachedi-kalamkari-ofgujarat.html • http://hetabhuta.blogspot.in/2009/11/mata-ni-pachedi.html • http://readingcloth.blogspot.in/2013/10/mata-ni-pachedi-fading-folk-artform.html • http://houseofmg.com/mata-ni-pachedi.htm
Image Source
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https://rusticjewels.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/melodimata.jpg https://rusticjewels.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/untitled-1.jpg https://explorethisway.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/mata-ni-pachedi/ http://www.houseofmg.com/textilegallery/textilecatalogue/mata%20ni%20pa chhedi.html
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