TEXTILES FOR THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE
Surendra Kumar Patra hails from a family of ikat weavers in Nuapatna village, Cuttack district, Odisha state, India. He has deep knowledge of traditional ikat textiles of Odisha and the technicalities of ikat dyeing and weaving. He received the National Award in 1993 for Art Textile (Tie & Dye). He retired as Deputy Director, Weavers Service Centre, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. In a follow-up to his interview on Nuapatna Weaves featured on Selvedge blog he speaks of the traditional attire of hand-woven fabrics of Lord Jagannath and the deities enshrined at the Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha, India.
Please could tell us about Lord Jagannath
The Indian state of Odisha has an ancient culture manifest in different aspects of its rich and diverse living heritage. Odia culture is deeply influenced by Jagannath consciousness that has evolved from the worship of the Hindu deity Lord Jagannath. Jagannath culture is synonymous with Odia culture.
The word Jagannath derives from the words `Jagat’ meaning universe and `nath’ meaning lord. Lord Jagannath is respected as the Lord of the Universe and is also regarded as the representation of Lord Vishnu who has many avatars. Lord Jagannath is regarded as a form of Lord Vishnu’s avatar as God Krishna.
God Vishnu’s representation as Lord Jagannath is unique to the state of Odisha. His form is also unique as it is cylindrical rather than figural with very large eyes, and crafted of wood rather than metal or stone as most temple icons are.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Wednesday. Textile with green field and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot). Image: View of Ratha Yatra, three chariots are in front of Lord Jagannath.
Lord Jagannath is deeply venerated by devotees from across the world at the monumental 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri. He is the resident deity of the temple. On Ratnavedi, the high platform in the temple sanctum, seven idols are seated. They are idols of Lord Jagannath; Balabhadra, his elder brother; Subhadra, his younger sister; Bhu Devi, the mother earth; Sri Devi, Goddess Laxmi; Madhaba (Sri Krishna); and an anthropomorphic form of Sudarshan Chakra. It is believed that the belief and worship of the deities predates the 12th century temple structure. Jagannath consciousness has influenced different aspects of Odia culture from food to painting, crafts, textiles, decoration, dance and more.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Thursday. Textile with yellow body and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot).
How are textiles associated with the worship of Lord Jagannath?
The deities at Lord Jagannath Temple are ritually adorned with hand-woven silk or cotton attire, jewellery, flowers, sacred leaves such as of tulsi (holy basil) and dayana (Artemisia nilagirica vulgaris), and anointed with pastes like sandalwood paste. The adornment/attire of the deities is called besha.
Textiles are used for different purposes in the worship of Lord Jagannath. They are used as attire for the deities and as an offering by devotees to the Lord and deities. The fabrics may be plain; have stripes or checks; or have woven verses of the Geeta Govinda (a work composed by the great poet Jayadeva in the 12th century) that is achieved by fine weft-ikat weaving.
All the deities at Lord Jagannath Temple are ritually attired in garments each day. There is one set of garments worn after the ritual morning bath, these are called Baralagi Pata. Another set of garments, the Bada Singhara Besha, is worn when the deities retire for the night. A set of attire comprises a lower garment, an upper garment and a chadar or shawl. A separate fabric is used for decoration. Different coloured fabrics are worn on different days of the week. Special attire is worn for festivals, specific rituals and special occasions. The temple administration has complete details regarding the fabrics.
Apart from the above mentioned, other cotton fabrics such as Tadap, Uttariya, Sirakapada, Boirani pata, Patani Saree, Gadi Pheta, Chemedi, Cheheli, Kala Khadi, Trikhanda Patani, Kavari Kachheni, Suta Gada, Sukla Saja Gada, Baula Pata, Tuli, Chadar Gada, Suta Dhadi Panchi, Srimukh Ota and others are used for daily use of the deities. These are local names of the textiles as used by the Sri Mandir that is the local name for the Lord Jagannath Temple.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Friday. Textile with white body and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot).
Please tell us about the morning set of attire?
The Baralagi Pata is the morning set of attire for the Lord after Ballavdhupa (morning bhoga). The Baralagi Pata comprises a total of eleven pieces. These are: one piece of 27 feet by 5 feet (called pindha) and one piece of 12 feet by 5 feet (called utari) for Lord Jagannath; one piece of 24 feet by 5 feet (called pindha) and one piece of 12 feet by 5 feet (called utari) for God Balabhadra; one piece of 21 feet by 4.5 feet (called pindha) and one piece measuring 12 feet by 4.5 feet for Goddess Subhadra; one piece of 12 feet by 4.5 feet for God Sudarshan.
Further, three pieces, called kani, each measuring 4.5 feet by 4.5 feet, are required for Bhudevi, Sridevi and Madhaba. One piece measuring 12 feet by 4.5 feet is required for Patitapaban that is another name for Lord Jagannath, meaning the One who can purify the sinner. All these fabrics are of silk, they are ikat fabrics and of specific colours for specific days of the week. The fabrics have a Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot). Pindha, utari and kani are draped around the deities.
Please tell us about the specific colours of attire for each day of the week
The colour differs on each day; each day has a specific colour that is linked to a particular planet. All the cloths are of silk and have a Kumbakalasi border. On Sunday the cloth offered is of red colour body and Kumbakalasi border; on Monday it is of white body decorated with black spots and Kumbakalasi border; on Tuesday the cloth called barapatia has stripes of five colours namely red, white, maroon, green and yellow thus representing different days of the week with Kumbakalasi border; on Wednesday it is of green colour with a Kumbakalasi border; on Thursday it is of yellow colour with Kumbakalasi border; on Friday it is white with Kumbakalasi border; on Saturday it is of black colour with Kumbakalasi border.
Please tell us about the evening attire
The evening attire worn for sleeping time (at night) of the Lord and deities is called Badasinghar Besha. These cloths are Geeta Govinda Khandua, that is, they are silk ikat fabrics with woven verses of the Geeta Govinda. All the cloths are of red colour with the verses, rendered by ikat weaving, in white colour. The verses woven are always from the Geeta Govinda, the great poem, composed by the legendary 12th century poet Jayadeva. The verses are in Sanskrit language, and the script is Odia.
Each set of the Badasinghar Besha has 15 pieces. All the pieces have Geeta Govinda verses woven on them. These are three pieces (saree), each of 18 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Three pieces, called Paharana, each of 21 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra.
Two pieces of phoota or bhujagudia are used for covering the hands, 36 feet by 3 feet, for Lord Jagannath and God Balabhadra. Three pieces pindha khandua, each 12 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Four pieces of kani, each 4.5 feet by 3 feet, one each for the deities Bhudevi, Sridevi, Madhaba and Sudarshan.
Image: Geeta Gobinda Khandua on loom.
Please tell us about the verses woven on the Geeta Govinda Khandua.
Generally the verses are:
Kamsäri-rapi, samsära-väsanä baddha-shånkhaläm |
rädhäm- ädhäya- hridaye, ta tyäja vraja-sundari… ||
Or
chandana-charchita-nila-kalevara-pita-vasana-vana-mali |
keli-calan-mani-kundala-mandita, gandha-yuga-smita-shali ||1||
Please tell us about garments for the winter
As the winter commences, there is a ceremony called Odhani Sashthi or Prabarana Shasthi. It is held on the sixth day of Suklapakhya (bright fortnight) of Margasir month (November/December). Margasir is the ninth month of the Hindu calendar and is regarded as a very auspicious month. On this day Ghodalagi (covering body) of the deities commences and they are attired in special silk cloths. This attire is worn till Basant Panchami or the twentieth day of Magha month (January/February) also called Saraswati puja.
Four pieces of such silk fabrics are used for attire of Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and God Sudarshan. Each of these have are 21 feet in length and 5 feet in width. These are red in colour with white letters in Odia script rendered by ikat weaving. The verses are:
Margasirse seetapakhye
Ya sasthi tithi sanjuta
Satu prabarana nama
Sarbakama phalamprada
Bijaytu Jagannath
Divyavastreralamkruta
Prajachhatu Sarbakama
Sarba mokhyam cha durlav
Please tell us about attire related to a special ritual
There are many festivals and rituals associated with Lord Jagannath at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple administration arranges fabrics for Guru Poornima (full moon night in the month of Ashada as per the Hindu calendar), Khaliagi Ekadashi and festival days.
One important ritual is ancestor worship that is called Shradha. This takes place for three days that is the day before Devdipali, on Devdipali and the day after Devdipali, that is the 14th, 15th and 16th days of Margaasira month of the Hindu calendar.
On these three days, Lord Jagannath offers Shradha to his parents during his different avatars or incarnations like Baman, Sri Ram and Sri Krishna. Lord Jagannath’s father was Rishi Kashyap and mother was Aditi during his Baman avatar; his father was King Dasarata and mother Kausalya in Sri Ram avatar; his father was Vasudev and mother Devaki, and foster parents Nanda and Yasoda in his avatar as Sri Krishna; and his father was Raja Indradyumna and mother Rani Gundicha in Kaliyug.
During this period, special cotton fabric called Nagapuri Vastra is used for the attire of Lord Jagannath. This cloth is of white cotton body and yellow border with kumbha (temple pattern). Four pieces having 36 feet by 5 feet, 21 feet by 5 feet, 18 feet by 5 feet and 12 feet by 5 feet are used. For God Balabhadra, four pieces of same specifications are woven, these are of white body and black/violet border with khumba.
For Goddess Subhadra –three white cotton fabrics with red/maroon kumbha (temple) border are woven. Their dimensions are 21 feet by 4.5 feet, 18 feet by 4.5 feet, and 12 feet by 4.5 feet. For God Sudarshan one white cotton fabric, of 12 feet by 4.5 feet, is used. For the other deities, white cotton fabric with temple border, measuring 4.5 by 4.5 feet, is used.
All the above fabrics like Baralagi Pala, Geeta Govinda Khandua, Odhani Sathi Vastra and Shradha Vastra are generally sourced from the weavers of Nuapatna village in Cuttack district of Odisha. This tradition has been followed for centuries as per the information of Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri. The specifications and other information of fabrics mentioned here have been collected from Sri Biswanath Guin of Nuapatna who regularly supplies these fabrics, woven by weavers of Nuapatna, to Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Late Sudam Guin, father of Shri Biswanath Guin who received National Award in 1976 for his Geeta Gobinda Khandua, had supplied such fabrics regularly during his time to Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri. Weavers from Nuapatna have been supplying fabrics for the deities at Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri since centuries as per the the Madala Panji that is a daily diary of the Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri.
Image above: Geeta Gobinda Khandua.
Please tell us about the attire for the deities for the Ratha Yatra
The annual Ratha Yatra of the Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri is the most famous festival of the temple. It commences on the second day of the bright fortnight of Asadha month. On this day, Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and God Sudarshan are taken out of the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Jagannath Temple (after elaborate rituals have been performed over several days), in three large wooden colourfully decorated chariots.
The procession proceeds along the Grand Road to the Gundicha Temple where the deities reside for a nine days and then return to the Lord Jagannath Temple. All the deities wear new Baralagi Pata and Geeta Govinda Khandua attire for the Ratha Yatra and at the time of Niladri Bije, the last part of the Ratha Yatra, when the revered deities return to their holy abode to the sanctum sanctorum at the Lord Jagannath Temple.
Over a million devotees throng the road for a glimpse of the deities and a possible chance to pull the chariots. The coverings of the chariots are made of coloured cotton fabric. All the chariots are decorated with applique work from Pipli. The covering of Lord Jagannath’s chariot is red with yellow stripes; the chariot of God Balabhadra is red and blue; and the chariot of Goddess Subhadra with red and black cloth. Thus, from a distance, devotees can identify the chariot of each deity. The Ratha Yatra is a memorable festival and an experience of a lifetime.
Text courtesy of Brinda Gill
Images Courtesy of Surendra Kumar Patra
Further Reading:
Lord’s Fabric by Surendra Kumar Patra
magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2015/July/engpdf/167-170.pdf
Nuapatna Weaves
www.selvedge.org/blogs/nuaptna-weaves
Further reading of Geeta Govinda may be read from publications or sources such as: thegod.wordpress.com/gita-govinda
Please could tell us about Lord Jagannath
The Indian state of Odisha has an ancient culture manifest in different aspects of its rich and diverse living heritage. Odia culture is deeply influenced by Jagannath consciousness that has evolved from the worship of the Hindu deity Lord Jagannath. Jagannath culture is synonymous with Odia culture.
The word Jagannath derives from the words `Jagat’ meaning universe and `nath’ meaning lord. Lord Jagannath is respected as the Lord of the Universe and is also regarded as the representation of Lord Vishnu who has many avatars. Lord Jagannath is regarded as a form of Lord Vishnu’s avatar as God Krishna.
God Vishnu’s representation as Lord Jagannath is unique to the state of Odisha. His form is also unique as it is cylindrical rather than figural with very large eyes, and crafted of wood rather than metal or stone as most temple icons are.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Wednesday. Textile with green field and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot). Image: View of Ratha Yatra, three chariots are in front of Lord Jagannath.
Lord Jagannath is deeply venerated by devotees from across the world at the monumental 12th century Jagannath Temple in Puri. He is the resident deity of the temple. On Ratnavedi, the high platform in the temple sanctum, seven idols are seated. They are idols of Lord Jagannath; Balabhadra, his elder brother; Subhadra, his younger sister; Bhu Devi, the mother earth; Sri Devi, Goddess Laxmi; Madhaba (Sri Krishna); and an anthropomorphic form of Sudarshan Chakra. It is believed that the belief and worship of the deities predates the 12th century temple structure. Jagannath consciousness has influenced different aspects of Odia culture from food to painting, crafts, textiles, decoration, dance and more.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Thursday. Textile with yellow body and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot).
How are textiles associated with the worship of Lord Jagannath?
The deities at Lord Jagannath Temple are ritually adorned with hand-woven silk or cotton attire, jewellery, flowers, sacred leaves such as of tulsi (holy basil) and dayana (Artemisia nilagirica vulgaris), and anointed with pastes like sandalwood paste. The adornment/attire of the deities is called besha.
Textiles are used for different purposes in the worship of Lord Jagannath. They are used as attire for the deities and as an offering by devotees to the Lord and deities. The fabrics may be plain; have stripes or checks; or have woven verses of the Geeta Govinda (a work composed by the great poet Jayadeva in the 12th century) that is achieved by fine weft-ikat weaving.
All the deities at Lord Jagannath Temple are ritually attired in garments each day. There is one set of garments worn after the ritual morning bath, these are called Baralagi Pata. Another set of garments, the Bada Singhara Besha, is worn when the deities retire for the night. A set of attire comprises a lower garment, an upper garment and a chadar or shawl. A separate fabric is used for decoration. Different coloured fabrics are worn on different days of the week. Special attire is worn for festivals, specific rituals and special occasions. The temple administration has complete details regarding the fabrics.
Apart from the above mentioned, other cotton fabrics such as Tadap, Uttariya, Sirakapada, Boirani pata, Patani Saree, Gadi Pheta, Chemedi, Cheheli, Kala Khadi, Trikhanda Patani, Kavari Kachheni, Suta Gada, Sukla Saja Gada, Baula Pata, Tuli, Chadar Gada, Suta Dhadi Panchi, Srimukh Ota and others are used for daily use of the deities. These are local names of the textiles as used by the Sri Mandir that is the local name for the Lord Jagannath Temple.
Image: Baralagi Pata for Friday. Textile with white body and Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot).
Please tell us about the morning set of attire?
The Baralagi Pata is the morning set of attire for the Lord after Ballavdhupa (morning bhoga). The Baralagi Pata comprises a total of eleven pieces. These are: one piece of 27 feet by 5 feet (called pindha) and one piece of 12 feet by 5 feet (called utari) for Lord Jagannath; one piece of 24 feet by 5 feet (called pindha) and one piece of 12 feet by 5 feet (called utari) for God Balabhadra; one piece of 21 feet by 4.5 feet (called pindha) and one piece measuring 12 feet by 4.5 feet for Goddess Subhadra; one piece of 12 feet by 4.5 feet for God Sudarshan.
Further, three pieces, called kani, each measuring 4.5 feet by 4.5 feet, are required for Bhudevi, Sridevi and Madhaba. One piece measuring 12 feet by 4.5 feet is required for Patitapaban that is another name for Lord Jagannath, meaning the One who can purify the sinner. All these fabrics are of silk, they are ikat fabrics and of specific colours for specific days of the week. The fabrics have a Kumbakalasi border that is a design of a temple with kalasi (an earthen pot). Pindha, utari and kani are draped around the deities.
Please tell us about the specific colours of attire for each day of the week
The colour differs on each day; each day has a specific colour that is linked to a particular planet. All the cloths are of silk and have a Kumbakalasi border. On Sunday the cloth offered is of red colour body and Kumbakalasi border; on Monday it is of white body decorated with black spots and Kumbakalasi border; on Tuesday the cloth called barapatia has stripes of five colours namely red, white, maroon, green and yellow thus representing different days of the week with Kumbakalasi border; on Wednesday it is of green colour with a Kumbakalasi border; on Thursday it is of yellow colour with Kumbakalasi border; on Friday it is white with Kumbakalasi border; on Saturday it is of black colour with Kumbakalasi border.
Please tell us about the evening attire
The evening attire worn for sleeping time (at night) of the Lord and deities is called Badasinghar Besha. These cloths are Geeta Govinda Khandua, that is, they are silk ikat fabrics with woven verses of the Geeta Govinda. All the cloths are of red colour with the verses, rendered by ikat weaving, in white colour. The verses woven are always from the Geeta Govinda, the great poem, composed by the legendary 12th century poet Jayadeva. The verses are in Sanskrit language, and the script is Odia.
Each set of the Badasinghar Besha has 15 pieces. All the pieces have Geeta Govinda verses woven on them. These are three pieces (saree), each of 18 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Three pieces, called Paharana, each of 21 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra.
Two pieces of phoota or bhujagudia are used for covering the hands, 36 feet by 3 feet, for Lord Jagannath and God Balabhadra. Three pieces pindha khandua, each 12 feet by 3 feet, one each for Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. Four pieces of kani, each 4.5 feet by 3 feet, one each for the deities Bhudevi, Sridevi, Madhaba and Sudarshan.
Image: Geeta Gobinda Khandua on loom.
Please tell us about the verses woven on the Geeta Govinda Khandua.
Generally the verses are:
Kamsäri-rapi, samsära-väsanä baddha-shånkhaläm |
rädhäm- ädhäya- hridaye, ta tyäja vraja-sundari… ||
Or
chandana-charchita-nila-kalevara-pita-vasana-vana-mali |
keli-calan-mani-kundala-mandita, gandha-yuga-smita-shali ||1||
Please tell us about garments for the winter
As the winter commences, there is a ceremony called Odhani Sashthi or Prabarana Shasthi. It is held on the sixth day of Suklapakhya (bright fortnight) of Margasir month (November/December). Margasir is the ninth month of the Hindu calendar and is regarded as a very auspicious month. On this day Ghodalagi (covering body) of the deities commences and they are attired in special silk cloths. This attire is worn till Basant Panchami or the twentieth day of Magha month (January/February) also called Saraswati puja.
Four pieces of such silk fabrics are used for attire of Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and God Sudarshan. Each of these have are 21 feet in length and 5 feet in width. These are red in colour with white letters in Odia script rendered by ikat weaving. The verses are:
Margasirse seetapakhye
Ya sasthi tithi sanjuta
Satu prabarana nama
Sarbakama phalamprada
Bijaytu Jagannath
Divyavastreralamkruta
Prajachhatu Sarbakama
Sarba mokhyam cha durlav
Please tell us about attire related to a special ritual
There are many festivals and rituals associated with Lord Jagannath at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple administration arranges fabrics for Guru Poornima (full moon night in the month of Ashada as per the Hindu calendar), Khaliagi Ekadashi and festival days.
One important ritual is ancestor worship that is called Shradha. This takes place for three days that is the day before Devdipali, on Devdipali and the day after Devdipali, that is the 14th, 15th and 16th days of Margaasira month of the Hindu calendar.
On these three days, Lord Jagannath offers Shradha to his parents during his different avatars or incarnations like Baman, Sri Ram and Sri Krishna. Lord Jagannath’s father was Rishi Kashyap and mother was Aditi during his Baman avatar; his father was King Dasarata and mother Kausalya in Sri Ram avatar; his father was Vasudev and mother Devaki, and foster parents Nanda and Yasoda in his avatar as Sri Krishna; and his father was Raja Indradyumna and mother Rani Gundicha in Kaliyug.
During this period, special cotton fabric called Nagapuri Vastra is used for the attire of Lord Jagannath. This cloth is of white cotton body and yellow border with kumbha (temple pattern). Four pieces having 36 feet by 5 feet, 21 feet by 5 feet, 18 feet by 5 feet and 12 feet by 5 feet are used. For God Balabhadra, four pieces of same specifications are woven, these are of white body and black/violet border with khumba.
For Goddess Subhadra –three white cotton fabrics with red/maroon kumbha (temple) border are woven. Their dimensions are 21 feet by 4.5 feet, 18 feet by 4.5 feet, and 12 feet by 4.5 feet. For God Sudarshan one white cotton fabric, of 12 feet by 4.5 feet, is used. For the other deities, white cotton fabric with temple border, measuring 4.5 by 4.5 feet, is used.
All the above fabrics like Baralagi Pala, Geeta Govinda Khandua, Odhani Sathi Vastra and Shradha Vastra are generally sourced from the weavers of Nuapatna village in Cuttack district of Odisha. This tradition has been followed for centuries as per the information of Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri. The specifications and other information of fabrics mentioned here have been collected from Sri Biswanath Guin of Nuapatna who regularly supplies these fabrics, woven by weavers of Nuapatna, to Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Late Sudam Guin, father of Shri Biswanath Guin who received National Award in 1976 for his Geeta Gobinda Khandua, had supplied such fabrics regularly during his time to Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri. Weavers from Nuapatna have been supplying fabrics for the deities at Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri since centuries as per the the Madala Panji that is a daily diary of the Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri.
Image above: Geeta Gobinda Khandua.
Please tell us about the attire for the deities for the Ratha Yatra
The annual Ratha Yatra of the Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri is the most famous festival of the temple. It commences on the second day of the bright fortnight of Asadha month. On this day, Lord Jagannath, God Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and God Sudarshan are taken out of the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Jagannath Temple (after elaborate rituals have been performed over several days), in three large wooden colourfully decorated chariots.
The procession proceeds along the Grand Road to the Gundicha Temple where the deities reside for a nine days and then return to the Lord Jagannath Temple. All the deities wear new Baralagi Pata and Geeta Govinda Khandua attire for the Ratha Yatra and at the time of Niladri Bije, the last part of the Ratha Yatra, when the revered deities return to their holy abode to the sanctum sanctorum at the Lord Jagannath Temple.
Over a million devotees throng the road for a glimpse of the deities and a possible chance to pull the chariots. The coverings of the chariots are made of coloured cotton fabric. All the chariots are decorated with applique work from Pipli. The covering of Lord Jagannath’s chariot is red with yellow stripes; the chariot of God Balabhadra is red and blue; and the chariot of Goddess Subhadra with red and black cloth. Thus, from a distance, devotees can identify the chariot of each deity. The Ratha Yatra is a memorable festival and an experience of a lifetime.
Text courtesy of Brinda Gill
Images Courtesy of Surendra Kumar Patra
Further Reading:
Lord’s Fabric by Surendra Kumar Patra
magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2015/July/engpdf/167-170.pdf
Nuapatna Weaves
www.selvedge.org/blogs/nuaptna-weaves
Further reading of Geeta Govinda may be read from publications or sources such as: thegod.wordpress.com/gita-govinda