Mata ne pachedi – The Kalamkari of Gujarat

Around 300 years ago when the people of Vaghri community were barred from entering temples, the kalamkari art of Gujarat - Mata ne pachedi was born. ‘Mata ne pachedi’ means behind the mother goddess. Members of the Chitara family from Ahmedabad, Gujarat have been practicing this art for generations.  Artist Dilip Chitara informs us, “Around 300 years ago, people of the Vaghri community were barred from entering temples. This then led to a movement, where the community decided to create a shrine of their own. A simple cloth was put up on the walls of a simple built form; painted […]