Mata ni Pachedi

The background | Mata ni Pachedi

Mata ni Pachedi, literally translating to "behind the Mother Goddess”, has its origin in the nomadic Vaghari community of Gujarat. Banned from entering temples, the members of this community turned to art to create not just an image of their Goddess but, essentially, a place of worship. Armed with natural colours and bamboo pens, the Vagharis would lovingly and meticulously paint the stories of each of their deities, their faith evident in every stroke, their love apparent in every painting. These divine pieces, which took days to complete, were not used as decor but as shrines, with the members of the community offering their prayers to the beloved goddesses. The tradition of Mata ni Pachedi continues to this day, primarily due to the dedication and passion of the Vaghari community, and has become popular across India. The artform is also known as Kalamkari of Gujarat due to its semblance to the Kalamkari art-form of Andhra Pradesh.

The theme | Mata ni Pachedi motifs

Mata ni Pachedi paintings are essentially cloth shrines and, as a result, the primary theme is the Mother Goddess, in various forms, as interpreted by the different Vaghari communities. The goddess is usually in the middle of the painting and is flanked by devotees, other deities, natural elements, and/or architecture on all sides. Black and red are the traditional hues used and are common in all Mata ni Pachedi paintings.

The ingredients | The prerequisites for Mata ni Pachedi art

The flowing Sabarmati River, bamboo brushes, and the necessary vegetable and mineral dyes are the primary requirements. Alum and tamarind seed paste are used to prepare the dye, while alizarin is used to treat the fabric. Sometimes, carved wooden blocks are used to transfer the image of the goddess.

The method | The Mata ni Pachedi process

First, the canvas is prepared; the cloth is destarched, soaked, and washed. It is then treated with harda. Once it is ready to be used, artisans create the outline of their painting on the canvas. This is usually done in black paint, which is derived from iron. The derivation process takes a fortnight or more.

Once the artisans are satisfied with their outline and the structure of the painting, they start filling in the colours, primarily red hues, with their bamboo brushes. Alum and tamarind seed powder are mixed to create a solution that is used as the base dye. A non-permanent dye is also blended with this solution to make the application visible. This mixture gives the application a yellow hue, which turns to deep red once the fabric is treated with alizarin.

Before the alizarin is applied, the fabric is washed. Since the Vaghari community formed and sustained itself along the river Sabarmati, the paintings used to be washed in its flowing waters. This practice is still followed today. The washed cloth is then dried on any surface. Once dried, it is boiled in a solution of dhawda flowers and the mordant alizarin in order to help the red hues develop. Finally, the finished painting is laid out to dry once more. Unfortunately, since the paintings are dried using natural means, they are also susceptible to climate conditions. The stronger the sun, the darker the colour. Unsurprisingly, monsoon is not one of the best seasons to create Mata ni Pachedi paintings.

The present | Mata ni Pachedi today

Today, the people of the Vaghari community are better known as Chittars. The painted shrines have found a space in the art world as wall-hangings and in the household world as handkerchiefs and bedsheets. Mata ni Pachedi paintings are particularly popular during Navratri.