માતા ની પછેડી (Mata ni Pachedi)
Mata ni Pachedi (Gujarati: 'cloth behind the mother goddess') is a hand-drawn and block-printed narrative textile tradition of the Vaghari community of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Large cotton cloths (2–4 meters) are painted or block-printed with the image of Mataji (the mother goddess) at the center, surrounded by her attendants, devotees, vehicles, weapons, and narrative episodes from her myth — creating a complete portable temple on cloth. The Vaghari are a nomadic community historically excluded from stone temples; Mata ni Pachedi is their portable sanctuary — the cloth is erected as the temple itself during festivals and rituals. The technique uses natural dyes (red from hibiscus or madder, black from iron liquor) and both hand-drawing (kalam) and woodblock printing for different elements. The tradition is practiced by families within the Vaghari community, with the Chitara family being the most documented. The cloth is ritually charged — the act of painting it is itself a devotional act.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Not inscribed
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