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Mata Ni PachediDefining the Craft in Terms of a Sustainable System
Master of Design2012 - 2014
Page 1 of 35
Table of Contents
} 1 - INTRODUCTION
} 2 - ENVIRONMENT
♦ 2.1 - Geographic
♦ 2.2 - Demographic
♦ 2.3 - Culture
♦ 2.4 - Legalities & Government Initiatives Involving the Craft
♦ 2.5 - Overview of Craft
2.5.1 - The Evolution; From Kalamkari to Mata Ni Pachedi
2.5.2 - Historical Perspective of the Craft
2.5.3 - The Chitara Family
2.5.4. - Upliftment & Contemporization of Mata Ni Pachedi
} 3 - INPUT
♦ Resources, Raw Materials, Tools, Water & Energy
} 4 - THROUGHPUT
♦ The Process of Making a Mata Ni Pachedi
} 5 - OUTPUT
♦ Mata Ni Pachedi and its Various Meanings
} 6 - FEEDBACK
♦ 6.1 – Demand, Production and Limitations
♦ 6.2 - Flowchart: Supply Chain
♦ 6.3 - Identifying & Defining Waste of Cluster
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♦ 6.4 - Reusing / Recycling of Waste
♦ 6.5 - Drivers of Pollution
♦ 6.6 - Individuality of the Craft & Its Sustainability
} 7 - SWOT Analysis
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1 - INTRODUCTION
The tradition of storytelling and narrating anecdotes, particularly conveyed though the medium
of hand paintings, has been an integral and alluring aspect of Indian culture and history.
"Kalamkari", the art of the "kalam" or pen, on cloth has been a legacy that has evolved over a
period of 3000 years, descending from one generation to the other. This exquisite art of hand
painting textiles has come to be renowned as India’s ancient heritage, having provided
creativity and art expressions an ingenious platform since centuries.
There exist some forms of Kalamkari which are still practiced today, such as the Pata Chitra of
Orissa, the Sri Kalhasti of Andhra Pradesh, the Pichwai of Rajasthan and the Mata Ni Pachedi of
Gujarat. Shreyas folk museum- MNP 11 and 13
Mata Ni Pachedi, a sacred ‘chaddar’ cloth upon which meticulous paintings of the Mother
Goddess are painted, dates back to more than 300 years. The term literally means “behind the
mother Goddess”, which constitutes a temple of the Goddess, with her placed in the centre of
the cloth and the stories relating to her surrounding her in the depiction. . DSC 0184 Photos
folder
Over the last few decades, the concept of "sustainability" has evolved out of the need to
balance natural systems and the environment alongside human development. The inception
and progression of sustainable development from around the 1970's aspired to create an
economy that was in tandem with basic ecological support systems, for both present and future
generations.
The notion of high-level sustainable concepts and consciously having it incorporated into the
various spheres of development has not been prevalent in India; it has only gained momentum
since the new millennium or so. In terms of its inclusion into the systems of the traditional
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crafts of India, by and large, there was and continues to be a lack of awareness among artisans
on sustainable practices.
Through various support groups, such as NGO's, government associations and educational
institutions, a certain degree of realization and understanding of sustainable systems has
blossomed among some of the practising traditional craftsmen. However, the majority of
traditional artisans and their groups remain unadopted by any establishment, unaware of the
economic, environmental and social benefits of sustainable development. DSC 04067
The remnants of the group of artisans practising Mata Ni Pachedi in Gujarat were observed and
followed, their history traced and studied and their processes examined from a sustainability
standpoint.
2 - ENVIRONMENT
In the context of a sustainable system, the "environment" refers to all the elements existing
outside of the system that have the potential to affect all or part of the system. In this case, the
reference is to the end-to-end system or process of creating the Gujarati craft Mata Ni Pachedi,
and the impact the surroundings, climate, background, terrain, ecosystem and other such
related factors, have on the craft, the craftsmen and society. DSC_0124
2.1 - Geographic
The water of Gujarat's Sabarmati River contains special properties for the setting of dyes and its
flat, sandy shores are ideal for drying and bleaching cloth. Thus, for hundreds of years, it has
been leading people towards weaving, printing & dyeing. On the banks of the Sabarmati River
falls the city of Ahmedabad, home of the Mata Ni Pachedi craft. Situated in Central Gujarat and
existing across seven talukas or districts (Barwala, Daskroi, Dholka, Dhandhuka, Detroj, Sanand,
Bavla, Ranpur, Mandal and Viramgam) Ahmedabad claims the Sabarmati as its most prominent
water body. The 371 kilometre river flows from north to south, dividing the city into east and
west; the eastern bank houses the archaic charm of the old city and the western side boasts of
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river houses, educational institutions, modern buildings and residential areas. The Vasna
Barrage dam, built on river, finds itself being employed for usage in irrigation, power generation
and flood control purposes.
The topography of the city of Ahmedabad shows that the land slopes towards the south and
the area under water bodies is approximately 38.54 meters that is 2.96% of the total area. At
one point in time, small, multiple water bodies provided the water source for the adjoining
vicinities. Due to the high rate of urbanization, approximately 36 lakes and ponds have dried up
in the last 28 years. Now, there remain two main lakes in the city: the Kankaria Lake and the
Vastrapur Lake. Ahemdabad map take from google
The highest point of Ahmedabad is at 62 meters in the northeast and slopes down to 35 meters
at the southwest corner, rocky in the extreme south with the level rising towards the north and
east sides. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra, the city is almost flat.
It experiences a semi-arid hot climate which is largely influenced by the Arabian Sea. The
average temperature of Ahmedabad ranges between 12 degrees and 41 degree Celsius.
This terrain and the dry climatic conditions have helped in the growth of the textile industry and
enabled Ahmedabad to acquire the title of the textile hub of India, also procuring the
nomenclature of the "Manchester of the East". The key vegetation which supports the industry
is castor and cotton.
2.2 - Demographic
The city of Ahmedabad comprises a population of 6.3 Million, of which approximately 440,000
inhabit slums. Of these, the Vaghris are a community whose saga, when traced, dictates a story
of struggle, prejudice and victimisation. DSC_0199 Their history also chronicles a tale of
adaptation and resilience, providing an ethnographic account of the ancient and contemporary
practices of a depressed community. Based largely in Gujarat, Rajasthan and also in the
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province of Sindh in Pakistan, the term “Vaghri” is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘wagura’,
which means a net.
The Vaghri’s fall under the ‘Shudra caste’ of the Hindu Caste system, worshipping different
incarnations of Goddess Amba. the mata1 According to their traditions, this community
originated from the intermarriage among the people of the Gujjar, Jat and Rajput communities
and is further divided into five main sub-castes:
The Talpada Vagri, the cultivators
Chunara or lime manufacturers
The Datania, who sell twig toothbrushes
The Patani, who are landless agriculture workers
The Vedu, who sell gourd
The Salaat, who are stonemasons
The people of the Vagri community, residing in Gujarat, primarily occupy the districts
of ‘Sabarkantha’, ‘Banaskantha’, ‘Panchmahal’, ‘Kheda’ and ‘Ahmedabad’. They speak
‘Vaghriboli’ which is very closely related to Gujarati. The Vaghri community migrated to
Ahmedabad because they saw it as an opportunity to promote their knowledge of fabric
preparation, printing and dyeing. They were masters in creating the darkest blues and deepest
blacks and operated in a manner where the entire family was involved in the craft.
2.3 - Culture
The people of Gujarat share their cultural traits and patterns with other regions, particularly
having mutual cultural attributes to that of the state of Rajasthan. ‘Gujarati’ is the official and
local language of Gujarat. The language has been derived from Sanskrit. Gujarati has eleven
dialects, spoken in different parts of Gujarat. Kathiawadi, Pattani, Charotari and Surati are
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some of the significant dialects of Gujarati. Nagari, Bhathala, Kharwa, Patidari, Parsi are some
of the community based dialects that are spoken in Gujarat. The other languages spoken in
Gujarat are Marwari, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu and Sindhi. Kachchi is yet another significant
language of Gujarat, spoken by the people of Kutch. The tribal people residing in Gujarat have
their own dialect, which is very similar to Gujarati.
Handicraft mirrors the vibrant culture of the State. The traditional Gujarati's have safe guarded
their rich cultural heritage for centuries, which is very well exhibited by the art and craft of the
region. Crafts in Gujarat are a way of life, a process that transforms objects of daily use into
aesthetically functional articles; blending the uniquely traditional with a level of intricacy that is
only possible by their skilled craftsman, renowned all over the world. IMG_2250 IMG_2219
IMG_2025
A variety in textiles is available according to different raw materials and different combinations
of yarns used in traditional techniques. Variations in designs used by different communities,
castes and regions of the state have further enriched the range.
Wood carving is another important craft in Gujarat, evident in the many elaborately carved
temples, havelis and palaces as well as objects of daily and ritual use. Exquisite wood carvings
can be observed in the temples, havelis and many houses in various parts of Gujarat, mainly in
Visnagar, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Mahuva, and Bilimora. IMG_8173
The painting of the Mata Ni Pachedi pertains to the depiction of the Goddess, the destroyer of
evil, with weapons in all her ten arms portraying ferocity and authority. During the festivities of
the Navratras, which means worshipping the nine forms of Goddess Durga, the Garba dance is
performed by the Vagheris and Gujaratis to honour the deity and to protect them from any evil.
This particular dance is performed around a clay lantern, known as Garbha Deep. This lantern
symbolizes life, particularly the foetus in the womb. Thus, the dance is performed in reverence
of the feminine form of divinity.
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The barter system had been prevalent in India since the existence of the communities, inside
the Hindu communities as well as between the Hindu-Muslim communities. There have been
economic inter linkages and interdependency found in the textile industry involving dyeing,
printing, tying and zari works.
Each contributing and responsible section of society upholds their tasks during the construction
process of the Pachedi, traditionally and hereditarily divided between the religious
communities of the Hindus and the Muslims; such as the dyeing, done traditionally by the
Muslims and the painting, done largely by the Hindus. Thus, in the process of creating the
Mata Ni Pachedi, a manner of decorum and communal harmony has been maintained and
continues to be carried forward to this day to a great extent.
2.4 - Legalities & Government Initiatives Involving the Craft
Between the years 2003 and 2004, a cluster development scheme was implemented by the
Industries & Mines departments as a definitive step towards the development of artisans of the
handloom and handicraft sector of the state of Gujarat. Under this scheme, various types of
assistance was provided to the artisans with respect to their upliftment in society and
sustenance of the particular craft, such as diagnostic surveys, design development, training,
margin money, managerial subsidy, publicity, export, marketing facility, and more. A cluster
was defined as a minimum 25 Artisan or more than 25 artisans working and producing goods at
a single place. This scheme was implemented by corporations working under the Cottage
Commissionerate and reputed institutions such as National Institute of Design (NID) and
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and others.
Asides from cluster development, other schemes for the Handloom & Handicraft sector include:
State Government Schemes:
1. Shri Vajpayee Bankable Yojana
2. Jyoti Gramodyog Vikas Yojana (Margin Money Bankable Scheme)
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3. Manav Kalyan Yojana
4. Carpet Industries
5. Village Tannery And Flaying Centre
6. Gramodyog Vikas Kendra
7. promotion Of Co-Operative Sector (Package Yojana)
8. Handloom's Schemes
9. Cottage Industries Training Centres
10. Intensive Handloom Development Program
Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Schemes by Govt. of India):
1. Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
2. Centrally Sponsored Schemes for Handloom Weavers
3. Millgate Price Subsidy
4. Handlooms Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme
1. Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY)
2. Health Insurance Scheme
The Gujarat state government organizes a number of handloom and handicraft fairs that
highlight the local artisans. IMG_3934 In the year 2010-11, the state organized 71 fairs
displaying various handicraft and handloom products. With the help of the government, the art
of Mata Ni Pachedi has gained its popularity locally and nationally. The Awards, along with the
Aids and Pension schemes, retain the artisans wanting to continue the craft, otherwise the
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reducing demands lead to its abandonment for more financially viable income alternatives. The
government schemes encourage the artisans to participate in fairs and festivals and to set up
stalls, as a result of which they are able to occupy twice and sometimes thrice as many stalls as
when they did not receive governmental help. Owing to the national award and recognition,
the concerned family has achieved a social status in society, increasing the influx of orders for
the Pachedi. The highest number of orders comes from the various nationwide and state-level
exhibitions, crafts melas and art fairs where the artisans participate through initiative from the
government. These platforms create immense networking opportunities that cascade to
increased publicity and in turn, more orders for the Pachedi. IMG_3991
The pricing of the Pachedi, measuring around 3 to 4 feet in length, differs drastically depending
on its mode of creation. The hand painted piece costs approximately 15,000 to 50,000 INR,
while in stark contrast, the block printed version can be purchased at no more than 500 to
1,000 INR. Customers that seek the truly authentic craft are far less that those who would
choose to make do with the block printed type, a strong contender for its comparable
difference from a monetary perspective. IMG_7916 IMG_8154
While 50,000 odd artisans are registered with the District Industry Department, as per the
iNDEXT-C data, there are only 200 and steadily decreasing members actively participating in the
fairs. Many artisans tend to avoid participation in events because, while the Department bears
their exhibition expenses, it fails to provide lodging and boarding facilities for them. This
ensues in marginal profits, if any, stemming from these initiatives, decidedly not worth the
entire effort on the artisan’s part. While conflicting views continue to exist on the matter, the
belief by and large still prevails that these events provide the much needed promotion and
platform for the artisans and their craft.
2.5 - Overview of the Craft
The Mother Goddess came to be rendered on to cloth when the people of the nomadic Vaghari
community of Gujarat were barred from entering temples. This led to the ingenuous solution
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of creating their own shrines, believed to be the origin of Mata Ni Pachedi. Vaghari
communities initially known as Parghis were nomadic hunters so they created a portable shrine
which they could carry amongst themselves. They produced this painted and printed Pachedi
‘cloth’ for worshipping the Goddess in her different forms. This tradition was adopted by
different lower caste communities and people eventually started taking vows to offer pachedis
to the Mother Goddess if they overcame some problem in their lives. mata ni pachedi
presentation-32
The priests perform ritualistic ceremonies on the mobile shrine built using the artisan’s work. A
“chandarvo” is made, which is a canopy that forms the roof and another that hangs on the
walls, called the Pachedi. The deity is installed within the frame and worshipped. The central
figure is painted by hand and the motifs on the sides are typically printed with blocks. The
central theme and layout has remained immemorial for ages: figure of the commanding
Goddess is centred in the Mata Ni Pachedi, armed and powerful. A mount or vehicle is under
her and a procession of attendant Gods and worshippers around her. Motifs of deities, priests,
devotees, angels and animals surround the Mata, often performing the “Garba”, a traditional
Gujarati dance in her honour. All the elements combined communicate narratives from age-old
epics, along with the portrayal of various legends as well, usually derived from Puranic myths.
The themes, stories, dimensions and proportions of the motifs are interpreted differently
according to the artist’s sensibility and visualization. What remains constant is the Mata, who
according to the Vaghri tribes, protects and helps the people. . IMG_3856
Red, among the most prominent colours in the Mata is an auspicious colour; the essence of joy
and festive occasions. A sacred feature of the Mata Ni Pachedi is blood sacrifice, as it is believed
by them that both birth and death are bound closely by blood. The red and black colours are
natural dyes sourced from alizarin and oxidized metal with jaggery. Contrasts between the
positive and negative spaces form an important balance to the work in the Pachedi. Red is
associated with the colour of the mother earth and believed to possess healing powers. White
is considered the colour for purity and is believed to be connected with ancestral spirits, deities
and other unknown spiritual entities. The colour black is meant to repel malevolent spirits and Page 12 of 35
intensify spiritual energy. As time went by, the community got introduced to pigment dyes
which had begun arriving in Gujarat to fulfil the demands of a fledging textile industry.
IMG_7884
2.5.1. - The Evolution; From Kalamkari to Mata Ni Pachedi
The term “Kalamkari” in itself can be defined as the art of penmanship, predominantly
suggestive of the technique on cloth as its canvas. Temple rituals have continually been the
inception point for most arts and crafts in India, with the Kalamkari art being one such form of
art where religious mural paintings were highlighted on cloth narrating their stories. Historic
evidence suggesting this includes the discovery of a dyed piece cloth on a silver vase at the
ancient site of Haarappa and the ancient Buddhist Chaitya Viharas which were decorated with
the Kalamkari cloth.
The English first noticed the art of Kalamkari in India in 1886, and similar traditions of cloth
painting and printing found roots in other parts of India. With Kalamkari’s popularization and
with the help of skilled artisans in India, the process of dyeing and painting on cloth also
evolved in Gujarat in the form of Mata Ni Pachedi, wholly symbolic of the Mother Goddess and
providing significance to a certain kind of religious ritual. For this reason, it came to differ from
just being “Kalamkari” and found its association solely with the representation of the Mata in
its midst. Many of the motifs of the art of Mata Ni Pachedi are adopted from the Kalamkari art;
the use of animal motifs, plant motifs and the tree of life are metaphorical in both Mata Ni
Pachedi and Kalamkari. mata ni pachedi presentation-36
While Kalamkari on its own is a broad expression of all forms of penmanship on cloth, it
converts into Mata Ni Pachedi simply by the inclusion of the Mother Goddess and the process
by which she is brought to life via Kalamkari, turning the art form into a virtuous process and
the mere cloth into a sacred article of worship. Mata Ni Pachedi evolved out of an alternative
solution where a certain community was forbidden from entering temples, steering the exiled
people to a means of articulating their devotion through the medium of Kalamkari.
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2.5.2 - Historical Perspective of the Craft
The Sabarmati River contains elements that aid and enhance the setting of dyes, while the
levelled, sandy shoreline prove idyllic for carrying out processes such as drying and bleaching
the cloth, driving people and their entire families towards weaving, printing and dyeing for
hundreds of years. mata ni pachedi presentation-19
According to Joan Ericsson, during her interaction with the artisans in the 1960's, printers
claimed they had been living in the same neighbourhood for hundreds of years, anxiously
holding onto their land, uncertain about the future because their livelihood and traditional
ways of living and worshipping were under threat. Many of the young men were choosing to
no longer following the family lineage in the trade. The new Pachedis were being made without
regard for the accuracy and time-consuming older processes, appearing with new floral designs
and stylized block prints. Printers may have enjoyed greater prosperity and security at one
point in their trade, but by the 1960’s they were destitute, and encroachment of the city had
brought competition for them and suspicion against them.
Ericsson noted that once the Mata was painted onto the blank cloth, it would at once become
sacred, extra care taken in completing the process of its creation. It was closely tended and
supervised, so that no foot, man, or animal could be placed on the cloths and disrespect it. At
the point of sale, the artisans’ would seek to confirm the purpose of the purchase, ensuring the
Mata would be used only for worship. A buyer could be turned out if his intentions were found
to be suspicious. The larger Pachedis could cost anywhere between fifteen to forty rupees. It
was solely printed to please and worship the Mata and no effort was made to satisfy or lure
possible customers. As per Ericsson, these were claims from the master craftsmen of the
sixties, however she had uncovered that the Pachedis back then could also be bought without
investigating into the buyer's plan for its usage and could be ordered and placed on short notice
from some of the younger craftsmen.
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Even today, the craftsmen claim to uphold the same sanctity of the end-to-end process carried
down from their ancestors, including filtering customers on the basis of their intentions.
However, with the incursion of money-making sensibilities into the craft and a substantially
larger customer base, in reality craftsmen no longer have the time nor the patience to
delicately handle the Pachedi question each and every customer on the motives behind the
purchase. A crucial step, as well as sentiment, in the creation of the Mata Ni Pachedi is the
reverence and care with which it is constructed and handled, now seemingly tainted by the
invasion of commercialisation into the art form.
Previous Process of Colouring & Dyeing the Pachedi
The master craftsman, when printing, would sit on the floor at a low box with soft padding on it,
surrounded by his blocks. Later processes could be done by others, but the printer formed the
design and gave the Goddess her character, with appropriate symbols, surrounding her with
her worshippers. The master printer would correct and finish lines with a pointed bamboo
stick, exacting and painstaking work. Minute improvements were never questioned because
the Mata was believed to notice what the average person could not see. . mata ni pachedi
presentation-13
The black paste was prepared in a time-consuming manner. Rusted iron pieces were collected
and fired red hot. Two maunds of these preheated pieces were then placed in an earthen pot
and an equal amount of water and four pounds of jaggery (boiled cane juice) were added. The
pot had to remain open-mouthed in the sun for eight days during which time the iron dissolved
in the solution. The printers could detect the readiness of the solution by its bad odour, which
was when they added Kachuka flour and brought the mixture to a boil, thickening it to ready for
use. The family of the printer would step in and fill yellow paste, a mixture of liquid alum and
kachuka flour, around the printed figures. The paste turned the cloth red when the pachedis
were boiled later in alizarin liquid. iron+jaggery for black pigment mata ni pachedi presentation-
23
Page 15 of 35
The painting stick is a twig of the babu tree, which was chewed to soften the end until it was
porous and flexible. The twigs could be bought in small bundles and were in great demand. Its
soft texture and durability would serve for not only a variety of painting jobs, but also as a
toothbrush.
Once done, the cloth was carried to the river and kept moist for three hours on the sand,
digging a small hole nearby which filled with water. Later the cloth was rinsed out for any extra
dye to be washed out. mata ni pachedi presentation-21
The cloth was then ready for the dying process, and as stated by Ericsson, a process that was
carried out by the Muslims. The printed cloth was dyed in large pots in quantities of eight
hundred yards in one lot. Ingredients were: three to four pounds of alizarin, a yellow powder
made from the root of the madder plant, which produced jet black when applied to iron and
bright red where alum mordant has been used. Only those areas printed with iron and alum
mordant were affected by the ailzarin bath. Four pounds of Sakur (a kind of fruit) and eight
pounds of Dhawada flowers were added to the alizarin and water mixture after this had been
heated to the boiling point. These two elements helped to maintain the white areas of the
cloth which were not printed. Then, the boiled cloth was rinsed in camel dung and water to
restore the whiteness of the unprinted portions of cloth. Returned to the river once more for
rinsing, the unfixed dye reddened the surrounding waters. The cloth was then bleached and
dipped in a blueing agent so that the white areas were fully re-established to contrast with the
red and black printed design. The cloth was then stretched out on the moist sand to set the
colour, taking three whole days and turned from side to side for the colour to become bright,
strong and permanent.
2.5.3 - The Chitara Family
The Chitara family and its extended members, the only ones of the Vaghri community practicing
the art of Mata Ni Pachedi, are spread throughout Vasna, Mirzapur and Dholka. Although this
technique is now practiced by a handful of Vaghri families settled in Ahmedabad and the Kheda
Page 16 of 35
district, the craft was previously prevalent in the region of Aghar and Dholka as well. With
differences of opinion having cropped up in the value systems and functioning practices of
individual members of the family, a bifurcation has taken place within the Chitara Family. They
all continue to sustain and practice the art of Mata Ni Pachedi, on the whole following the age-
old construction methods, but differing in their ideals and viewpoints, particularly in regards to
the involvement of the community’s womenfolk in learning and creating the Pachedi.
In the Vaghri community, the women folk were especially not allowed to work outside their
home, restricted to household chores. Over time, due to economic setbacks, working with their
husbands arose out of survival and necessity for the married women, however the art was
never taught to the daughters of the family for fear of losing its exclusivity to “outsiders” or
other communities. Recently, however, the women have started working and participating in
developing the economic conditions of their families. Generally, the men sketch all the motifs
and the women colour them in, along with the background of the cloth. ‘Manu bhai’, master
craftsman and one of the heads of the Chitara family, makes his Pachedis with both his
daughter and daughter-in-law, believing instead that the tradition and cultural significance of
the craft will withstand the test of time and be shared with future generations in this way.
These juxtaposing views have given rise to a rift in the Chitara family, bringing about a
separation between them and generating individualistic approaches to the craft.
A fragment of the family tree advocates the addition of women into the trade for economic and
progressive reasons, while another division of the Chitara family persists that the craft should
remain within the immediate family. Its knowledge should be segregated and immersed within
the menfolk and only those women who are brought into their families through matrimony. It
is believed that engaging the daughters, who would eventually have to move away with their
husbands after wedlock, would lead to embezzlement of the family craft and the dilution of the
sanctity and exclusivity of it, distinctly their own.
(INSERT FAMILY TREE)
Page 17 of 35
Vasna vs. Mirzapur vs. Dholka
Around 40 kilometres away from the thriving city of Ahmedabad, is the main breeding ground
of the Vaghri community, housing one of the treasured arts, the Mata Ni Pachedi. The main
trading grounds are the Tower bazar and the Cokhri bazar. The Pachedis are mainly screen
printed with three colours; red or maroon, black and white. screens at vasna The Mata Ni
Pachedi of Dholka is renowned and its origin of trading founded from such sub-urban places,
later on dispersing into the main city. Although the community shifted its initial centre and
disseminated, the trade sustained. The family practicing the art of Mata Ni Pachedi moved to
the city of Ahmedabad, taking along with it its sourcing and production. The Pachedis are either
bought by store owners from the main city or acquired via members of the Chitara family
directly visiting the shopkeepers. During the Navratri, the market areas are flooded with Mata
Ni Pachedi, seen on display across store fronts. mansukbhai ramjibhai patel_ kapda bhandar_
dholka_giving overview of mata ni pachedi
Mirzapur, nestled in the heart of the old city of Ahmedabad, is home to a cluster of the Vaghri
community practicing the craft of Mata Ni Pachedi. These are the families largely sourcing the
supply of the Pachedi to the Dholka market, because of which the products are identical, with
no perceptible difference. The product range is limited to “chaddars”, or sheets and bed sheets,
and explorations are almost nil in terms of diversification and variation in the designs. Although
the process and preparation for making the chaddars are similar in these families of Mirzapur,
the use of chemical dyes are more prevalent along with the use of natural dyes. The products
being made by blocks and screens are comparatively more economical and less time-consuming
than their Vasna Counterparts, with less detailing in the Pachedi as compared to the hand
painted versions.
Throughout the year there are four seasons or periods where the focus is on making the
Pachedi, particularly during the Navaratra. In the interim, the breadwinners of these families
Page 18 of 35
spend their remaining time in other income substitutions to sustain a livelihood, such as
engaging in occupations like soap manufacturing, driving vehicles, and so on. The revenue
generated solely from selling the Pachedis is highly insufficient for their survival, steering them
towards options that they can pursue when they not catering to the market demands for Mata
Ni Pachedi.
The old city is home to yet another cluster of the Chitara family, wholly emerged in the craft of
Mata Ni Pachedi and its expansion. The Chitara Family moved to Vasna in Ahmedabad 30 years
ago, after constantly fearing communal clashes within the old walled city areas of Khanpur and
Mirzapur. The family in Vasna mostly utilizes natural dyes and partakes in hand painted
Pachedis, debarring the use of blocks and screens in the process. Their solitary source for
wages, they sell the Pachedis throughout the country and at an international, with a vastly
assorted product range including saris, stoles, dupattas, bed covers, and customized items like
jackets, kurtas, and others. Here, the craft has fostered a contemporary taste and received
acclamation throughout the nation. Nonetheless, the traditional Pachedis continue to be
crafted, albeit alongside their contemporary versions.
To meet contemporary tastes, the Vaghris have started using other natural colours, adding
yellow, blue orange, rust, grey and even pink to the colour palette. The craftsman opts to draw
each pictorial element rather than use the conventional block printing. A new colour palette
has been explored and derived from indigo, ferrous sulphate, turmeric and pomegranate
powder, alizarin, iron filings and the mordant alum. Exposure to a wider palette means a
cacophony of colours in the Pachedi, used purely for decorative purposes and not religious
reasons. All the materials used in the creation of Mata Ni Pachedi are organic: the dyes, the
fabrics, such as cotton, khadi, silk, and the bamboo stick kalams are all made up of naturally
available products. Extremely eco-friendly in its nature, Mata Ni Pachedi reinforces the use of
non-polluting, wholesome materials which do not compromise in making visually aesthetic
pieces. IMG_8622
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Every member of the family, from the elders to the children, is dedicated to practicing the craft,
committed to its preservation and sustenance. The government has recognized Mata Ni
Pachedi as an art form and taken measures to give the artisans their due. The head of this
branch of the Chitara family, ‘Sanjay Bhai’, realizes the importance of marketing and selling the
craft, and travels extensively to spread awareness to a wider audience.
2.5.4 - Upliftment & Contemporization of Mata Ni Pachedi
‘Gaatha’, based in Gujarat, was initially only an academic research project, focused on archiving
the process and heritage behind crafts. However, they soon realized that artisans were tired of
facing “welfare” research groups and giving interviews, not necessitating policies and hand-
outs, but stable businesses and revenue. They sought to make future generations see craft
techniques as an aspiration and not an inherited burden. Today, Gaatha not only educates but
also sells a whole range of products made by these artisans. Similarly, brands such as ‘Jaypore’
and ‘Wildflower’ discover the best designs from artisans and craftsmen from all over India, and
deliver them directly to consumers.
Realizing that any product with connotations of religious sentiments attached to it can have
limited means of experimentation and contemporatization, there have been numerous ways in
which the craft has been adopted into the mainstream market and garnered some spotlight in
the recent past. Some have chosen to remove any semblance of idolization and devotion from
the products and have used other motifs in the forms of animals or plants as the primal focus.
In this case, it is considered that the article no longer stands to be a form of Mata Ni Pachedi, as
the nomenclature itself specifies the criticality of having the “Mata” in it. Omitting the Mata is
an exclusion from the craft per se, decreeing the article to simply being a work of Kalamkari,
and not Mata Ni Pachedi.
While the craft, or its variant form excluding the Mother Goddess, has been absorbed into a
broadened product range, such as shoes, boxes, badges, photo frames, and more, it has also
found some niche and uniquely creative functions in unexpected avenues. Fashion designers
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have expressed the desire to captivate audiences with collections that imbue or take inspiration
from Mata Ni Pachedi. Publishing companies have hired members of the Chitara Family to
provide illustrations, in the typical style of the craft, for their storybook publications. Art and
Fashion students continue to undertake studies on the art form and delve into not just means
of sustaining the craft, but also expanding the creative possibilities through which Mata Ni
Pachedi could be explored; all the while, paying utmost respect to the Mother Goddess,
essential to the existence of Mata Ni Pachedi.
3 - INPUT
Inputs, within the framework of a sustainable system, are the resources that are taken or
received into the structure from the external environment. As the Pachedi is of sacred value it
is made with raw materials close to Mother Nature, which, once the Pachedi is utilized, can be
easily immersed back into its organic form. Energy resources consumed in the process of
creating the Pachedi include the limited amount of electricity used, water from the Sabarmati
dam and firewood from the market. The Sabarmati River as the single source of water plays an
important role in the lives of the Vaghri community, especially in the making of the Pachedi.
Some of the commonly used raw materials for both Kalamkari and the block printed Mata Ni
Pachedi are:
Fabric: cotton (sourced from Sindhi market, Ahmedabad) and silk (sourced from Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad). Preparing the fabric for printing is done through the water from the Sabarmati
River along with employing electricity, Tamarisk (salt cedar), Molasses, Dried Lemon, Soda khar.
For the preparation of dyes, the dye itself is sourced from Dai Limbda Naroda, Ayurvedic shops,
and Janta Kirana, near Fernandis Bridge, Madhupura. Rusted iron pieces are essential for the
red and black dyes, Jaggery for the black dye, Castor oil, Kachuka flour (rice flour and water),
Harda (Black Myrabolum; Terminalia Chebula) for yellow dye, Bahada (Myrabolum belliriki) for
yellow dye, Alum, Alizarin (a mordant dye-yellow powder made from the roots of madder
plant). 20130921_143159 20130921_144000
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For creating the kalam, bamboo, date and babool sticks (Acasia Arabica) are used.
For preparing the blocks (Kapalo), the source is Pethapur in Gandhinagar. Teak wood, Cutting
machine, Hammer, Stone are some of the tools used to make the blocks smoother. Chalk and
gum paste, oil, design paper, bamboo sticks are the instruments employed in cleaning the
blocks. IMG_2278 IMG_3686
For boiling the cloth after application of colour, the ingredients are water, Sakur fruit (to
maintain the colourlessness of the unprinted white portions), Dhawada flowers (‘Anogeissus
latifolia’, again to safeguard the spreads of white), Firewood (sourced from lakripethas or local
timber shops). Firewood at Vasna
Additionally, the contemporary changes in raw materials are readily available, such as wood,
chemical dyes, screens and blocks.
4 - THROUGHPUT
Within the context of a sustainable structure, throughput can be defined as the flow of
activities and materials consumed and deployed through the system, in such a manner that it
results in yielding productivity which can be exported back into the environment.
The Initial Process
The fabrics required for the making of the Mata Ni Pachedi are usually restricted to cotton and
silk. The process starts off with the fabric being washed in the water in order to remove the
impurities. This is done so with the Soda Khaar treatment. The fabric then goes through the
steaming process in a closed vessel for 8 hours and is then taken for washing, after which is
dried out in the sun. The fabric pieces are then cut to the required length, in rectangular
shapes, as a classic Pachedi is always executed in that form. It is then wrapped in a sack cloth,
sealed from the outside air and kept in a closed room. The fabric pieces then go through the
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soda khaar treatment four times before it is taken for printing. Subsequently, it is treated with a
mixture of Tamarisk, Molasses, dried Lemon, Caster oil and Water before printing; starting with
the border and then moves inward to the Goddess. fabric being washed, drying
bleached+destarched fabric at vasna
Adhering to the traditional methods of preparing and creating the Pachedi meant undertaking a
lengthy and cumbersome series of tasks that were attesting to be less and less practical in the
modern times. Over the years, more suitable techniques and solutions were derived to cut
down on the duration and the effort invested in producing the Pachedi. These stand-in
methods soon came to be embraced entirely and the ancient protracted process was forsaken
for easier ways. All the while, it was ensured that the nuances and the essence of the
traditional methods was somewhere preserved and not lost in the midst of condensing the time
and manpower spent in the making of the Mata Ni Pachedi.
The Process for Extracting the Dye
A procedure evolved over years of experimenting, practicing and trial and error, the means of
extracting the dye in the construction of the Mata Ni Pachedi is an essential, and amongst the
most tedious, components of the entire process.
The rusted iron pieces are collected and heated in the fire, with two mounds of the preheated
iron pieces then placed in an earthen pot. An equal amount of water and two kilograms of
Jaggery (boiled cane juice) are added to the vessel. The pot remains uncovered in the sun for
eight days, during which time the iron dissolves in the solution. Owing to their experience and
the adherence to age-old customs, the printers are aware of the exact moment when the
solution is ready for usage. Detection by its bad odor, they recognize the signal to add Kachuka
flour, successively bringing the mixture to a boil. When the liquid has thickened, it is ready for
use in the drawing and printing process.
By and large, the ritual practices of creating the dyes were laid down by the ancestors through
means of research and testing. These methods, even today, prove to be as equally effective,
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extremely economical and safe for the artisans and the environment. For these reasons, the
traditional ways of producing the dyes from natural colors is still followed in precisely the same
manner by the artisans in the present day.
The Drawing Process
Using a “kalam” or a makeshift pen made of bamboo stick dipped in the black dye, the artists
start drawing on the fabric and filling in exhaustive details by hand. The fabric is divided into
seven to nine columns and the Mother Goddess is always placed in the center. This makes it
easier to impart a chain of stories within the same piece; an established format that has always
been followed to compose a Pachedi. Surrounding the Mother Goddess are her procession of
worshippers, incidents related to the myth of the Goddess as well as scenes from the everyday
life. The image at the center and the surrounding figures vary in size and position depending on
the artist’s individual style and their own creativity. mata ni pachedi presentation-12
The Mata came to be rendered onto the cloth by hand in order to supplement exquisite
detailing in her form and evoke awe in her demeanor, also symbolic of the artisan’s exertion
and devotion to the Mother Goddess during the process. In difference, her accompaniments
were replicated and mirrored through the use of blocks in block printing, reducing the input of
time and energy by a drastic measure. Recently, however, the artists have started using block
prints in the making of the Mata as well. Via this route, the work is now sped up and visually a
uniformity is maintained in the design layout, turning out to be more cost-effective. The
Pachedi is always framed with a bold border which is divided into a line of single color and a
band of decorative patterns. The border is filled in with blocks, whereas the rest of the Pachedi
is painted with the kalam. DSC_0023
The Boiling Process
After the drawing and painting is completed, the cloth is taken for being dyed in entirety. The
printed cloth, up to eight hundred yards in one lot, is soaked and dyed together in large pots.
One of the ingredients required for this is three to four pounds of alizarin, a yellow powder
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made from the root of the madder plant, traditionally used as mordant dye. This ingredient
produces a jet black color when applied to iron and a strong turkey red where an alum mordant
has been used. Secondly, two kilograms of Sakur (fruit) and four kilograms of Dhawada flowers
are added to the alizarin and water mixture after it has been heated to the boiling point. mata
ni pachedi presentation-24
Through means of experimentation, the forefathers of these artisans learnt that only the
printed areas where iron and alum mordant were used were affected by the alizarin bath.
These specific segments of the Pachedi turned darker and stood out more noticeably, against
the contrast of the blank portions. Through their trails they also discovered that the ingredients
of Sakur and the Dhawada flowers helped to maintain the white areas of the cloth which were
not printed. Alongside the colored sections of the Pachedi, these areas gained a starkly
bleached effect. The learnings were carried forward and these techniques continue to be used
even today by the artisans in the making of the Mata Ni Pachedi.
5 - OUTPUT
The output is the work of the sustainable system that is exported back into the environment. In
this case, it is both the end product fulfilling a purpose, as well as the reaction and intentions it
aims to conjure after it has been transpired. kokai mata central motif
The Mother Goddess appears in various avatars, each rendition signifying a different purpose
and meaning. In the art form of Mata Ni Pachedi, she has been depicted in many ways since
time immemorial. The decision usually rests with the master artist creating the Pachedi, who
presents a particular avatar of the Mata depending on the associated tale that is to be
conveyed through the single Pachedi. Some versions of the Mata are as follows:
Vahanabati Mata: seated on lion
Bahuchari Mata: seated on a rooster
Korhia Mata: seated on an alligator
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Meleri Mata: seated on a goat
Chamunda Mata: twin-headed Mata seated on lion
Gael Mata: seated on a “Nilgai”, an Asian antelope
Harakmai Mata: seated on a dog
Harkai Mata: seated on a sheep
Bishaat Mata: a 20-handed goddess seated on a calf
Kalka Mata: the daunting Goddess Kali
Shakti Mata: the Mata on a balcony with children and two elephants
Momai Mata: seated on a camel
Bathijimaharaj: riding a horse over a snake
The motifs surrounding the Mata are “Gopa” or “Gooa”, the closest to the Mata as he sacrifices
the goat to her. There is also the inclusion of the goat in the Pachedi, an offering to the
goddess. “Vajantar” is another common character in the Pachedi, who welcomes the mother
Goddess by playing his “shehnai”, a flute-like instrument with a double-reed. The upper motifs
in the Pachedi are all of the various Matas. The seven fish represent the seven daughters of the
“Koel Mata”. Accordingly to folkloric legends, when the prince passes through the river he
comes upon the seven bathing daughters of the Mata and immediately wants to marry them.
On rejecting the prince, the daughters take the form of fish in the river, thus the corresponding
motifs on the Pachedi.
The religious significance of the Mata Ni Pachedi and its prominence, although among the lower
cast communities, has declined drastically over the years. The long-established artists and the
families immersed in the craft, mostly belonging to the Vaghri community, have accordingly
faced the impact of these changes. The families embroiled in the craft of Mata Ni Pachedi went Page 26 of 35
from a flourishing dynasty of more than 30 odd descending families to only a handful of
members originating from the Chitara family. The passage of time brought about a changing,
fast-paced economy, and in its onset was an out-dated craft with several redundant practices
that did not seem to correspond with the exigencies of modern times. In this situation, most of
the practicing craftsmen of Mata Ni Pachedi turned penniless and had to opt out of perusal of
the craft for other more financially viable alternatives.
Today, crude workmanship has mostly taken over Mata Ni Pachedi, with a small minority
aspiring to preserve the craft as it has been. Frenzied practices in the craft have led to its
bountiful appearance in markets, at a far lower cost and of sub-standard quality. Small but
significant efforts are being made, on the part of the artisans, the government and the society
at large, for the revival of Mata Ni Pachedi, in a bid to save this charming icon belonging to the
legions of India’s sacred art on textile.
6 - FEEDBACK
The feedback obtained from a sustainable system pertains to the continuing source of
information concerning the relationship with the external environment, used to make the
necessary changes in order for the framework to grow and survive in the long run.
6.1 – Demand, Production and Limitations
The demand for Mata Ni Pachedi has been shown to peak the most during three seasons, or at
three intervals during the year:
Chaitra (In the month of March)
Navratri (In the month of October)
Maha Mahina (In the month of February)
Presently, an original Pachedi is priced at approximately 8,000 INR, an expensive prospect for
the average consumer. However, given the amount of workforce and toil inputted into
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constructing a hand-made Pachedi, the artisans, on their part, find it to be an adequate
assessment and evaluation of the piece of art. Conversely, to facilitate the demand, artisans
took to screen printing the Pachedis, a far more convenient, cost-effective and rapid option.
These have brought the cost of a single Pachedi down to just 100 INR onwards.
The easy availability of synthetic pigments and an endless color palette gave way to more
modern hues being introduced into the Pachedi, immediately dismissed by the purists. This
leeway for some artistic freedom gave scope for a degree of tweaking to take place in the
patterns within the traditional matrix. In attempts to cater to the demands of the market for a
smaller and cheaper version of the art form, “miniature Pachedis”, a single block of the main
frame, starting coming about. Scrolls are also bought as wall pieces, which sell at prices fixed
according to their size and the intricacy of the hand-work, with the artisans claiming that a
particular piece was auctioned for as high as 400,000 INR.
These less expensive versions have turned out to be a treat for the average customer, but many
of the artisans feel these cheap alternatives pose a real threat to their livelihood and art form.
The irony lies in some of the members of Chitara family themselves selling screen printed
Pachedis in the market to secure extra income from this share of the market fundamentally
untapped by them. ‘Mahesh Bhai’ of the Chitara family quoted, “till the time the Pachedi is
sought after and sold in the market, we are satisfied.”
'Manu Bhai' and his extended family have taken up the mantle to salvage the art that has been
passed on to them as an heirloom, straining to bring it back from the brink of extinction. “We
also conduct workshops for students of National Institute of Design and National Institute of
Fashion Technology,” said 'Sanjay Bhai', claiming they had diversified their product range into
silk scarves and sarees. “We want our legacy to live and thus have modified our art over time to
make its presence widely known.” Under the expert mentorship of five-time national award-
winning craftsmen in the family, the toddlers are being driven towards the craft and fast
absorbing the skills in creating a Mata Ni Pachedi.
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6.2 – Flowchart: Supply Chain
6.3 - Identifying & Defining Waste of the Cluster
From its inception, the artisans of Mata Ni Pachedi were using natural, locally-available raw
materials for its processing and preparation, all within the realms of their own households. The
majority of the processing steps were carried out on the banks of the Sabarmati River, however
the waste left behind by the artisans on the river side was hardly substantial enough to leave a
resounding impact in its aftermath. The processing steps by the river banks typically involved
washing and drying, with nothing but the residue of natural ingredients left behind on the
shores. In present times, however, the introduction of some chemical ingredients in the dyes
can thus be said to have a more polluting effect on the environment.
The process for making a Mata Ni Pachedi includes washing, de-starching, boiling, preparing
dyes and fixing colors with water and different agents. A repercussion of all these processes is
the liquid, solid and semi-solid waste material that gets produced. The waste coming out from
these disposals are the main drivers of pollution in the artisans’ own locality, as well as that of
their surrounding vicinities. Within this system of creating the Pachedi, there are no such Page 29 of 35
organized mechanisms or models in place for the disposal of waste. Waste materials that are
produced as an outcome of the Mata Ni Pachedi go into the open garbage bins of the locality.
discarded dye
Water is a core ingredient in the making of a Mata Ni Pachedi; its usage is critical in the
formation of dyes, during the course of painting and in the preparation of the cloth through
several rounds of washing, starching and dyeing. While the Sabarmati River has historically
been their single water source out of a lack of convenient options, with modern advents have
come modern amenities, making water more readily available in households and
neighborhoods. Thus, a large part of these processes were shifted to the convenience of the
artisans’ locality and inside their homes. This in turn has brought about the production of
waste, generated from utilizing large amounts of water and conducting these activities within
the city alleys, as opposed to along the riverside. No organization has taken the lead in
studying the water pollution caused by the craft of Mata Ni Pachedi.
The craft of Mata Ni Pachedi has been touted as being a highly sustainable and environmentally
friendly craft, however of late, with the arrival of modernization and easily obtainable faculties,
such as chemical dyes and running water, the traditional processes in the craft have
unknowingly started creating a degree of endangerment to the environment.
6.4 - Reusing / Recycling of Waste
Mata Ni Pachedi continues to be regarded as a craft that employs minimal wastage and
produces almost no environmental hazards. The craft originally stemmed from a lower caste
community and came about as a result of their prohibition from entering temples, therefore
the principles of recycling were unintentionally ingrained into their processes from the very
start. The miserly artisans had to resort to penny-pinching to create their own adaptation of a
temple, their portable shrine, constructed out of a process that may have been lengthy and
cumbersome, but had minimal investment in terms of any financial funding. All their
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ingredients were natural, home grown and self-made, with hardly any waste being produced or
materials being discarded.
Overtime, more tools and materials have become accessible to the artisans, yet they have still
continued to carry forward the mantle of economizing and frugality from their ancestors, thus
recycling wherever possible. It is only the unusable or severely damaged goods and materials
that are disposed of, for wake of newer ones.
The Mata Ni Pachedi in itself is recycled, indicating that the roots of salvaging old items and
extracting the most out of them are fixated into the very core of the craft. It is brought out of
storage for religious purposes or at times of important festivals, converted into a shrine or
mounted as a sacred ornament. It is only when it is worn out to the point of being tattered or
torn, that the Pachedi is no longer used, and is taken to be immersed into the very river that it
was constructed from. It is believed that the Pachedi goes back to the Mata if it is drawn into
the river after its complete usage, never recycled again for any other purpose. waste pachedis
being utilised
6.5 - Drivers of Pollution
Water and Dyes: As the process of making a Mata Ni Pachedi is lengthy, huge quantities of
water are utilized at various stages of the construction. The water leftover from the dyes is
inadvertently thrown into the open sewage line around the homes of the artisans and within
their locality. Throwing dyes directly into the open sewers, especially of the chemical variety,
could be hazardous to the health of the artisans, their neighbors and the surrounding
ecosystem. There is also alleged to be a shortage of water in the area of Vasna where the
Pachedi is made, thus the craft is further attributing to the problem by consuming large
amounts of water in the creation process.
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Chemical Colors: Natural dyes were used by the ancestors of the artisans, as they had neither
any options nor the know-how behind creating synthetic dyes. Additionally, natural ingredients
were symbolic of the purity of earth from which the Mother Goddess would be constructed.
Development in technology gave their successors the possibility to consider chemical dyes over
natural ones, overlooking the underlying belief that the later once held. Chemical colors
proved to be more suitable for bulk and fast delivery orders. As a downside, these artificial
substances brought about a degree of contamination and health hazards that were nonexistent
before. Moreover, once these chemical dyes were mixed and not utilized within a day or two,
they had to be disposed of, yet again polluting the environment.
Waste Bins: In Vasna, where the Chitara family primarily resides and produces the Mata Ni
Pachedi, there are open bins in their neighborhood for waste disposal, provided by the
municipality corporation. In the open grounds directly adjacent to these garbage bins, the
artisans conduct a great deal of the work, particularly drying the Pachedis. Uncovered and
unhygienic, these bins are a danger to the health of the artisans and their entire families, who
spend long hours around the bins. Even their children are seen playing in the foul conditions, a
clear determent to their wellbeing. Furthermore, all old and damaged items that can no longer
be used in the making of the Pachedi are dumped in these bins, adding to the existing waste
that the municipality group has to deal with disposing of.
6.6 - Individuality of the Craft & Its Sustainability
The Craftsman names a basic human impulse: the desire to do a job well for its own sake.
Although the world may suggest a way of life that waned with the advent of industrial society,
Sennett argues that the craftsman’s realm is far broader than skilled manual labour; the
computer programmer, the doctor, the parent, and the citizen need to learn the values of good
craftsmanship today. The significant past forms a bold line dividing practice and theory,
technique and expression, craftsman and artist, maker and user; but sadly the modern society
suffers from this historical inheritance. The past life of craft and craftsmen suggests ways of
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using tools, organizing work, and thinking about materials that remain alternative, viable
proposals about how to conduct life with skill.
The significance of individuality and the crucial role of one’s taste in expressing individuality,
perfect expression of individuality can only be achieved by a discerning judgment – which, in
itself, is an important cultural construction. By feeling somehow connected with unknown
producers through social imagery, and by successfully incorporating their products into their
own lifestyle
The true identity of a craftsman dwells in Indian villages where one can find the essence of
individuality. In the nimble fingers that weave intricate designs, in the hands that shape our
pottery, in the deft strokes that create masterpieces of tribal art or in the carvings by stone
artisan, the untold tales of who we are and where we come from is portrayed. It is these craft
communities that form the core of our identity.
For instance the craft of Mata Ni Pachedi carries the uniqueness of being portable shrine of the
nomadic community. As being not allowed to enter the temple, they are proud to have their
special movable shrine always with them. The creative use of Kalamkari through Mata Ni
Pachedi signifies their individuality as Devipujak.
Is it at the same time essential to understand craft for a craftsman is his way of life; it speaks
about their surrounding and incorporates the floras and fauna which the craftsman has seen
around him. Due to commercialization and his want to sustain his living they listen to what the
designers want and too much interference of the designer creates a loss to the original essence
of the craft. The craft should speak the language of the craftsman, there is a vast difference
between what they do for themselves and what they commercialise and sell to the consumers.
A craft should be unadulterated and not tampered with by the designers. According to Ms.
Meena Rajput ‘’ do not destroy your own creativity or anybody else’s.”
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Chapter 7 - SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths
Government recognition at various
platforms
Identified as Geographical Indication
of Gujarati Kalamkari.
Monitory rewards and Pensions to
award winning artisans for their
encouragement and motivation.
Exclusivity to one particular
community (Chitara)
Communal harmony: both the Hindu
and Muslim Community are involved
in the processing and sales.
Natural raw materials are used till
date.
Less energy usage.
Weakness
Unawareness to Artisans about the
Geographical Indication status of the
craft and its benefits.
No diversification of product range
and unwillingness of Artisans for
experimentation in developing new
products.
Rift within the Community for
involvement of daughters in the
craft.
Lengthy and slow process due hand
work and weather constraints.
Use is restricted to religious purposes
only.
Communication barrier due to lack of
education and language.
Less awareness of craft among
people of the city itself.
Opportunities
More participation in Exhibitions and
haats could be encouraged.
More scope for Gov. recognition at
national and international levels.
Scope for involvement of private
Threats
Knock offs such as Screen printed
Mata Ni Pachedi in Dholka are the
biggest threats.
Seasonal threat from rainy season
Lineage diversifying from practising
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parties which include Local
Communities, Designers, NGO’s etc.
Could be taught to visiting students
and willing participants
Product range can be diversified to
reach out to more costumers.
the craft.
Varying water flow due to recently
built dam on Sabarmati river.
Artisans’’ approach towards chemical
raw materials due to
commercialisation.
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