One of Odisha's most colorful handicrafts is the appliqué at Pipli Craft Village, 40 km from Bhubaneswar. Locally known as Chandua, this craft is associated with the rituals and traditions of Lord Jagannath and his brother Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. Although there is no history of the evolution and origins of appliqués, it is believed that clothing and decorative items began to be used in the Jagannath Temple of Puri during religious processions in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The pipli appliqué technique mainly uses cut pieces of fabric and is then adorned with patterns, usually in the form of flowers, birds, or animals. The various types of motifs are made from separate pieces of fabric and overlaid on the main piece of fabric with predetermined patterns and designs.
