‘Barred’ from temples, an Ahmedabad community strives to keep a sacred art form alive, 9 generations later

In a small community in Ahmedabad, generations of artists are preserving a sacred art form despite being barred from entering certain temples. Om Chitara, a ninth-generation artist, is part of this tradition that dates back over 300 years. Mata ni Pachhedi, a ritual textile depicting Goddess Durga, began as a form of protest when Devipujaks (earlier called Vaghri) were denied entry into temples.

Om and his family live in Vasna, Ahmedabad, where a studio occupies the upper floor of their home. Around 40 artisans, led by four senior craftsmen, work together to maintain this heritage. The studio features unbleached fabric, earthen pots filled with organic dyes, and bamboo kalam pens used to draw intricate patterns on the cloth.

Traditionally, the art relied solely on deep red dye made from alum and tamarind seed paste, as well as black derived from iron rust fermented with jaggery and water. However, the artists have since expanded their palette to include natural ingredients. Creating a 2x2 feet piece can take up to two-and-a-half months, with the most time-consuming phase being the freehand drawing and line detailing.

The process involves multiple stages, including drawing, mordanting, boiling in madder root, and sundrying along riverbanks. The final stage is boiling, during which even a minor mistake during washing or coloring can ruin the entire painting. Despite the challenges, Om is committed to keeping this art form alive, emphasizing that without efforts to preserve it, Mata ni Pachhedi would vanish completely.