From devotional offering to art, Mata-ni-Pachedi has continued to take new forms. We outline a brief history of this textile tradition and a community that has practiced and perfected it over centuries. READ MORE Colour speak Traditional Mata-ni-Pachedi paintings only featured three colours, each symbolising an aspect of divinity. Tap on the moving hotspots in… Read more »
From devotional offering to art, Mata-ni-Pachedi has continued to take new forms. We outline a brief history of this textile tradition and a community that has practiced and perfected it over centuries.
Let’s meet the modern-day Siddis, defined by centuries of history in Gujarat, Sufi spiritualism, and ancestral memories of Africa
Shilpa Shah of the TAPI Collection shares generous insights—and stunning objects—that tell us a vivid story of Gujarat’s cultural tapestry
Take our quiz to learn something new about the real Sher Khan
If you’ve eaten in Surat, you’ve tasted salvation. And it’s all thanks to centuries of migration, trade and a happy collision of world cultures
Like the beloved Gujarati breakfast of jalebi-fafda, the contrasting flavours of this region give its cultures an irresistible piquancy. Here are some surprising facts to pique your curiosity about Gujarat
Painted on cotton cloths, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
Painted on cotton and imbued with piety, Shatrunjaya patas map the physical and divine characteristics of the sacred hill in Palitana, Gujarat
In ancient India, cave complexes sheltered travellers and traders too besides priests and monks. Take our quiz to learn about these rock-cut rest-stops
The Siddis are unique among the multicultural communities of the Deccan. Many arrived in India as East African slaves but their lives collided with the volatile politics of the region in ways that would birth new identities
How did the art of a people from the Sahyadri mountains of western India capture the imagination of the nation and the world? The evolution of Warli paintings from Jivya Soma Mashe to the Vayeda Brothers
Goddess Vahanvati is also known as Sikotar Mata. The Goddess is closely associated with the sea, commerce, and traders. She is revered by seafarers and is frequently depicted sitting on a boat with outstretched sails. In this Pachedi, the six-armed Goddess is illustrated on a boat-like structure. Worshippers and deities from the Hindu epics decorate… Read more »
The sea is witness to much that defines India and our port cities are the sentinels of change. Let’s travel to some old and new ports through the Sarmaya collection of maps and engravings and imagine them at the peak of their power
Through the veins of a centuries-old textile art tradition flow the waters of a once-mighty river. Follow the journey of a Mata-ni-Pachedi painting as it takes birth on the banks of the Sabarmati
This is a studio portrait of Thakur Sahib Maharaja Lakhdirji Waghji and the young Mahendrasingh of Morvi. They represent two generations of the Jadeja Rajputs who ruled the state of Morvi on the Kathiawar peninsula. In 1807, the East India Company declared the state of Morvi a British protectorate, a system by which local rulers… Read more »
This textile celebrates and reveres the folk goddess Meladi Mata, depicted at the centre seated on a black goat. According to legend, Goddess Parvati created Meladi from the dirt on her body and bestowed her divine shakti or strength and a black male goat as her mount. Mata-ni-Pachedi or Chandarvo is a textile painting that… Read more »
The architecture, iconography and divine design of Hindu temple architecture through the lens of its royal patrons
Pictured here is the Girnar Rock Edicts in Junagadh, Gujarat, photographed by D. H Sykes in 1869. Located on the foothills of the Mount Girnar in Gujarat, the Girnar Rock Edicts, also known as the Junagadh Rock Inscriptions, are collections of 14 significant Prakrit edicts or inscriptions credited to Ashoka, the 3rd century Mauryan King.… Read more »
The thrill of serendipity, the awakening of the imagination, the inevitability of being devoured heart and soul by a world you didn’t even know existed until this moment. In a way, being a student of history is like being an astronomer. Especially if the subject of study is an ancient or forgotten kingdom. Click to… Read more »