Shoulder cloth

A densely woven patola shoulder cloth in madder red with square jewelled design. The background is divided into squares, each filled with an elephant carrying a canopied palanquin. also can be seen a mahout, nobleman and his whisk-bearing attendant, with a blue parrot leading the way, possibly depicting a hunting expedition. Elephant designed patolu was among the most rare and prestigious patola that went to Southeast Asia. The elephant, a symbol of wealth, power, authority and divinity was ideally suited to represent royal patrons.
The accommodation of script is rarely seen in any patola, making this piece a rare and prized textile.
The borders are embellished with an alternate dancing girl and an elephant, surrounded with ornamental flowers. The pallav or end-piece is simple but densely embellished with flowering plants, each with a single flower which has a round heart chequered red and orange, and three white petals above.