Then we will also have a special visit during our tour, especially for the textile lover. Gujarat is known for its exquisite embroidery as well as for its kalamkari art form. One such appealing yet obscure art form practiced in the Ahmedabad, Gujarat is the “Mata ni pachedi”. Its historical evidence goes back almost 300 years. Mata ni pachedi which basically means “behind the idol of the Goddess” is a cloth enshrined with painting narratives of Goddess Durga in her various incarnations. Traditionally, red, maroon, black and white colours were used to paint the pachedis. Each colour has its own significance. Black wards off the evil, red is used to depict the Goddess, marron for mother earth and blood and white is associated with purity. In modern times, artists also incorporate indigo, green and yellow to make it look more attractive and to meet the consumer’s demands. Every picture painted on the cloth is a beautiful composed painting and the outlines, curves, and bright colours make it all more attractive. It has a marvelous grace, aggressiveness, and dialect which make it quite distinct from the other art forms. In recent times, this spectacular art form has seen some evolutions. To quicken the process the painters now use wooden blocks facilitating the use of finer motifs for printing. While craftsmen are refining this folk craft to be in pace with the changing world, yet the sanctity of this religious artifact remains untouched. They may have transformed the illustrations to more artistic and detailed specifications, but the practice of spreading the glory of the Mother Goddess and the depiction style of the mythical characters remains the same.

Overnight at ITC Narmada, Ahmedabad (Executive Club) (B)