Gerua | Mata Ni Pachedi

The Painting is a folk art by Jotsna Ben and her family of artisans in Gujarat who once belonged to a nomadic tribe. Since these are all handmade, certain imperfections might be visible but be assured that these only add to the handcrafted look of the Mata Ni Pachedi painting. You’d be bringing a piece of tradition to your homes and spaces. The paintings are hand-made and naturally dyed and hence your order may take 20-30 days to be made and then shipped to you safely. You can also preorder any Mata Ni Pachedi painting, mask or saree via our website or email.

Mata Ni Pachedi is a sacred folk art practiced by the nomadic Vagharis community in Gujarat. The community traces their association with this art to three centuries ago. It is also known as the Kalamkari of Gujarat. It translates to “behind the mother goddess”. These Pachedis are an expression of the divine energy of the mother goddess. When the people of the Vaghari community were barred from entering the temples, they made their own shrines with various depictions of the Mother Goddess on the cloth.

The figure of the Mother Goddess in the centre part of the Pachedi is of the main characteristic features.  The figure is surrounded by mythological characters and elements, human figures, flora and fauna, etc. These motifs depict the various narratives of the Mother Goddess. Traditionally, red is of the main colours used in the paintings, it symbolizes the auspiciousness of any occasion, and the black colour wards off the evil spirits and increases the spiritual energy. The goddess is believed to have a hundred forms and is accordingly depicted in each of these along with the associated symbolic details and attributes.