A Vital Matters Perspective: Choḍ Textiles in the Jain Diaspora: Portability, He

Choḍ Textiles in the Jain Diaspora: Portability, Heritage, and Evolving Practices

In diaspora communities, choḍ textiles—traditionally displayed in Indian shrines and religious settings—take on expanded roles as both devotional objects and markers of cultural heritage. Families often use them in home shrines, community celebrations, and creative displays, reflecting new forms of engagement with religious identity. At the same time, many diaspora-commissioned choḍs continue to be produced in India, with artists and patrons coordinating designs and orders through digital platforms like WhatsApp. This continuity of production alongside evolving display practices illustrates how technology, mobility, and tradition intersect, allowing choḍs to remain central to Jain religious and cultural life across generations and geographies.

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1 ARTWORK

Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

Unidentified artist(s)

Chod pata of Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

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Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

Unidentified artist(s)

Chod pata of Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

p034

p035

p036

t001

t002

t003

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t007

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v0194

v0183

v0212

v0210

v0198

v0200

v0208

v0211

v0182

v0197

v0186

v0195

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Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

Unidentified artist(s)

Chod pata of Guatama's Pilgrimage to Ashtapada

p034

p035

p036

t001

t002

t003

t004

t007

v0190

v0207

v0209

v0213

v0203

v0199

v0214

v0201

v0191

v0196

v0206

v0202

v0193

v0204

v0187

v0205

v0189

v0192

v0185

v0184

v0188

v0181

v0194

v0183

v0212

v0210

v0198

v0200

v0208

v0211

v0182

v0197

v0186

v0195

v0215

1 PERSON
Headshot of Syona Puliady

Syona

Puliady

Curator of Textiles of the Eastern Hemisphere

Fowler Museum at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

Headshot of Syona Puliady

Syona

Puliady

Curator of Textiles of the Eastern Hemisphere

Fowler Museum at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

Headshot of Syona Puliady

Syona

Puliady

Curator of Textiles of the Eastern Hemisphere

Fowler Museum at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

Copyright © 2025 Fowler Museum.

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2025 Fowler Museum.

All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2025 Fowler Museum.

All Rights Reserved.