TRADITIONAL INDIAN

MOTIFS
Parrot Motif

SIMRAN ARORA
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I, SIMRAN ARORA of DEPARTMENT OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY ,
have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have been
possible without the kind support and help of many individuals and
organizations. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of
them.
I am highly indebted to Mrs. Chandini Bhoopal for her guidance
and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary
information regarding the project & also for their support in
completing the project.
I would like to express my gratitude towards my parents for their
kind co-operation and encouragement which help me in
completion of this project.
I would like to express my special gratitude and thanks to our
auspicious faculty members for giving me such attention and
time.
My thanks and appreciations also go to my colleagues in
developing the project and people who have willingly helped me
out with their abilities.

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 CONTENTS

 MOTIF
 SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTIF IN INDIA
 PARROT MOTIF INTRODUCTION
 SIGNIFICANCE
 SYMBOLISM
 DEMOGRAPHY
 USES
 USE IN CHINESE ART
 CONCLUSION
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 WHAT IS MOTIF ?
The most basic unit of a design or the smallest unit of a pattern is
a motif. Often inspired by nature and also socioeconomic, cultural
or religious factors, the motifs on traditional Indian apparel are all
distinct and mostly very colourfully represented. Part of the Indian
fashion regime since ancient time when kings ruled the country,
these motifs are often also a representation of the different styles

from an era gone by

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Also derived from architectures and religious philosophies, birds,
flowers, fruits and even animals have stories to tell, beliefs to
share the most common motifs.
MOTIF IN INDIA

India, world famous for its crafts and culture has a diverse, rich
and lengthy textile tradition. In fact, the traditions of many crafts
in our country can trace their origins back, almost to about 5000
years ago, to the ancient Indus Valley and Mohenjo Daro
civilizations, and they have been created and developed through
the ages against a background that is richly woven with the
myths and imagery of sign and symbol.(Bhatnagar Parul).

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Indian textiles whether woven or embroidered, are always known
for their textures and motifs. use of vibrant colours, excellent
execution and hidden interpretations of the motifs used in creation
of these textiles have always lured people worldwide.
Establishment of trade routes with foreign lands and influence of
different emperors who ruled India resulted in import of many
indigenous motifs to be integrated with Indian ones rendering
them stylized form. The interpretation of these motifs may be
discovered from sources that have nothing to do directly with
textiles but the development of a particular motif is undoubtedly is
the result of religion, customs, natural surroundings and social
beliefs of that particular area to which its creator belongs. Though
always speculative, the meaning of the motifs used in decoration
of textiles may change with cultural context but the symbolic
meaning of various motifs remains same wherever they are
applied. This document mainly focuses on the Parrot motif.

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 INTRODUCTION

Parrot is a symbol of love and fortune-telling which

they are best known for. Same applies for the motifs. In Indian art,
they are mostly seen in company of Hinduism’s eternal lovers
Radha and Krishna telling their tale. They are also seen as vehicle
of Hindu God of love Kamadeva. Parrots have featured in human
writings, story, art, humor, religion, and music for thousands of
years. From Aesop's fable "The parrot and the cat” and the
Roman poet Ovid's "The Dead Parrot" to Monty Python's "Dead
Parrot sketch" ,parrots have existed in the consciousness of many
cultures. Recent books about parrots in human culture include
Parrot Culture.

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In ancient times and current, parrot feathers have been used in
ceremonies and for decoration. They also have a long history as
pets, stretching back thousands of years, and were often kept as a
symbol of royalty or wealth.

HISTORY

The parrot motif do not have the historical and iconographic.It has
not been depicted in ancient , classical of even medieval India
architecture . Although they have some trail marks of evolution .
They had the appearance of a block printed design . As most of
the textiles depicted in Ajanta seemed to be of western Indian
origin. This dearth of historical representation suggests that it is
relatively recent addition to the traditional Indian textiles.
The parrot motif has been illustrated on various platforms. It has
been depicted in elaborate coloured –silk embroiders created for
Rajput courts , for nomiadic ethnic groups such as Rabari .

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SIGNIFICANCE IN CULTURES

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 Parrots are love birds considered as vehicle of Kamadeva, God
of love and sex in Hindu mythology. It symbolizes sensual desires,
courtship and passion seen in Indian art most in company of
Krishna and Radha, Hinduism’s eternal lovers.

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 SYMBO
LISM
Symbolising passion and courtship, a motif of a parrot is
commonly found in artwork telling the story of Lord Krishna and
his lover, Radha, a tale well recited in Hindu epics and sagas.
Vehicle of Kamadeva, deity of love and sex, the parrot symbolizes
sensual desires and forms an important part of marriage
decorations. The parrot is a love bird, and has special value as a
charm in tattoos. It is one of the attributes of Goddess Meenakshi
of Madurai in Tamilnadu , the bird also represents lovers’
associations and is often used in couture designed for both brides
and grooms.

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 DEMOGRAPHY
.

As such there are no proper evidences of its evolution or demography , but it is mostly seen in
textiles in West Bengal ,Rajasthan and Gujarat .

Motif of parrot is generally found in textiles from West Bengal,

Patolas of Gujarat and Paithani of Maharashtra, applique work of
Orissa, Rajasthan embroideries and resist textiles
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 USES

They are often used in couture designed for both brides and
grooms. They are prominently present in textiles from West
Bengal Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. They are used in
Chanderi sarees, Paithani sarees, Kanchipuram sarees,
Pochampally sarees, and Kalamkari sarees.

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.
PITHORA PAINTINGS

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 They were commonly seen in the pathora paintings in
numerous forms

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Parrot motifs in India are not only used in sarees but also in
wedding card , invitations, decorative pieces, cushion covers,
necklaces, and earrings.

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It is used in various other forms like on footwears , pillow covers ,
hand bags, nail art

USAGE OF PARROT IN
CHINESE ART 22
Parrots have been associated with Chinese culture since time
immemorial. They were part and parcel of the various Chinese
cultures and were considered as symbols of good omen. Ancient
Chinese people used to depict these birds on statues, porcelain
dishes, pendants, hairpins, etc. These objects of art are very much
popular as antiques. As parrots were considered to be symbols of
many good things (according to Fengshui), the ancient Chinese
people depicted these birds in their works of art.

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 CONCLU
Motifs are being usedSION
in Indian textiles since ancient times . Parrot
is a symbol of love and fortune-telling which they are best known
for. Same applies for the motifs. In Indian art, they are mostly
seen in company of Hinduism’s eternal lovers Radha and Krishna
telling their tale. They are also seen as vehicle of Hindu God of
love Kamadeva. Parrot is symbolic of truth telling while parrot
motif is symbolic of a treasure of the ocean . It was known as an
ancient symbol of spring .In feng shui , a parrot motif represents
positive energy and blessings of good luck .A parrot figurine ,a
parrot painting , a parrot charm can all be objects that bring the
energy of parrot into your world.
They are often used in couture designed for both brides and
grooms. They are prominently present in textiles from West
Bengal Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan .
They are widely used in a number of fields .They are printed on
bags, footwears, nails, earings and necklaces.
Also it has a magnificient impact on chinese culture .

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 http://bieap.gov.in/Pdf/FGMPaperIIYR2.pdf
 http://www.kamat.com/database/content/animal_motifs
 https://books.google.co.in/books/about/The_Origins_of_the_Parrot_Motif_in_I
ndia.html?id=bdG8tgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y
 https://www.universeofsymbolism.com/parrot-symbolism.html

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