Vata Savitri or Vata Poornima is a religious observance performed by Hindu women of Gujarat (and other parts of India), where they fast and worship a Vata-vriksha (Banayan tree) for the long life and health of their husbands. In this traditional Mata Ni Pachedi, the rituals of Vata Savitri are depicted with classic motifs and colors, with a style that resembles the depictions of the popular Tree of Life motif. The Vata-vriksha, in the shape of a stylized Peepal leaf, is the central image with leaf branches sprouting from it.
The foreground of the painting is a water body with fishes which are a symbol of fertility, a recurrent motif in the ritual imagery of Mata Ni Pachedi. The canvas is populated by devotee figures- men and women carrying garlands, swords, drums, and ritual lamps for the Pooja of Vata Savitri. Lehenga-clad heavenly beings hover in the upper section of the paintings, with floral offerings, adding sacredness to the iconography. The space between figures is filled with leaves of the Vata vriksha showering on the subjects as a symbol of the tree’s acceptance of their offerings.
According to Hindu tradition, the Vata Poornima Vrat is in remembrance of Savitri, a Sati (pious woman) who battled Yama, the god of death for the life of her husband, Satyavan. With the powers of her virtues and wisdom, Savitri was able to win back Satyavan, gain eyesight for her hitherto blind father-in-law, and was blessed with a hundred children.
This story is narrated in the Mahabharata, the Indian epic that has found resonance with many folk cultures of the country, including among the Vagharis who use the language of Mata Ni Pachedi to recount this episode of the epic.
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