The Patola has survived empires, single Ikat here; the step-like designs echo the architecture of stepwells a thousand years old, symbolising descent into the origins of life and lifeblood, water in the desert while the sharp, triangular shapes are drawn from temple architecture, shikharas (spires), which serve as a connection to the divine; they accord protection to the wearer and create a sense of the continuity of life.
Each diamond, the Ratan Chok or jewel square, wards off the evil eye and bears witness as a guardian. It symbolises clarity and strength, representing not just cosmic order but also the temporal domestic courtyard, and houses a radiant eight-petaled lotus, Ashtadal, which signifies spiritual awakening and the radiance of the sun through which life thrives, protected by divine order.
The dot at its centre, the glint of the diamond, reminiscent of the Bindi, is the origin of life, the unchanging divine spark; its being white in the border denotes Sattva, a core of spiritual peace and clarity undiminished by the (vibrant) passion and beauty of the the material world surrounding it; the fabric truly is eye catching and explains why its said (though usually with reference to double Ikat) that although the material of a patola may tear, its dyes are set so deep that they will never fade.
The stylised leaf, the pan bhat on each side of every diamond, denotes fertility and longevity, while the stylised shrub within the leaf stands for growth, lineage, and prosperity.
The geometric framework of leaves and jewels, bestows not only the abundance of nature but also both the blessings of the ancestors and the divine upon the wearer. It echoes the Janam Kundali, birth chart which places the wearer firmly in a pre-ordained cosmic order, and symbolises the unity of the temporal and the celestial by creating a protected and harmonious space through sheer repetitiveness, predictability, and seamlessness. In doing so acknowledges cosmic infinity and eternal life.
Beyond the lattice in the border are wave-like patterns which symbolise the fluidity of wind and water: shifting desert dunes, the monsoon deluge, transformation and abundance. They echo the architecture of a fortress bringing to mind the protection of life. And the small flowers at the intersections of the lattice speak of purity and new beginnings.
Red and orange tones in the saree represent energy, Shakti; the golden hues honour the Surya, the sun; white outlines symbolise Vidya, learning that delineates complex patterns and keeps cosmic design clear; and green calls to nature's bounty. The magenta signifies royalty and temporal prosperity and echoes the symbols on the saree by connecting the seen to the unseen.
Together, the motifs and the colour palette turn the saree into a shield which provides protection to the wearer as she navigates the interconnected temporal and spiritual worlds.