This is a brocade from the Gujarat region of western India. Gujarat was a major centre of textile manufacture and trade, and Gujarati brocades were of fine design and craftsmanship. Although weaving has a long history in the region, many techniques and motifs were brought in from Persia during the reign of the Mughals. Traditional Indian patterns, such as flora and fauna were also integrated into the new approach, leading to the depictions of various symbols on textile.This brocade symbolically represents Vishnu – the trellis pattern is formed by a very unusual fish pattern, while the central motif is a tortoise. The fish and tortoise are the first and second avatars of Vishnu.
