Kalamkari, derived from the Persian words “kalam” (pen) and “kari” (craftsmanship), is a type of hand-painted cotton textile produced in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The production process involves twenty-three steps and uses only natural dyes. The present piece belongs to the Srikalahasti style of Kalamkari, where the “kalam” is used for freehand drawing of the subject and filling in the colors, making the textile entirely hand worked. This style flourished in temples and was central to creating unique religious identities, appearing on scrolls, temple hangings, chariot banners as well as depictions of deities and scenes from the Hindu epics, such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.
The present Kalamkari is a Mata ni Pachedi (literally meaning ‘behind the Mother Goddess’), a cloth that serves as a temple of the goddess. When the nomadic Vaghari community from Gujarat, who worship Mata, were not permitted to enter temples, they instead created their own places of worship with illustrations of the Mother Goddess (Mata) on pieces of cloth. The cloth is most in demand during Navratri, when clients commission Vaghari artists to depict their protective goddesses surrounded by images of other incarnations, legends, portion from religious epics and even shamans. These cloths are set up and elaborately decorated during the festive days of Navratri when Mother Goddess is worshipped throughout India. (Candarvo, Matano, “Textile Pieces for Goddess Worship in Gujarat,” in Mulk Raj Anand, Homage to Kalamkari. Bombay: Marg Publications, 1979, pp. 73-74.)
A typical Mata ni Pachedi follows a particular format. At the center is an image of the Mother Goddess framed in a shrine or temple. On both sides are the imageries symbolizing her worshippers and references to religious epics and folklore. However, the final design largely depends on the commissioner. The color scheme, on the other hand, strictly adheres to black and dark red.
In the present Mata ni Pachedi, the four corners are marked by elephant riders, and the borders features multiple lines of figures standing shoulder to shoulder in a procession. The crowded scene is divided into four quadrants by five significant rosettes. The delicate portrayal of figures is thanks to the work of the “kalam,” where artisans hand-draw all details before dyeing the cloth.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, houses a few Kalamkari textiles in its collection. Compare the present lot to a Mata ni Pachedi (acc. no. 1994-148-732).