In Pipli village, artisans keep 12th-century craft alive as homes double as workshops

Pipli, Odisha: Here, there is little separation between home and craft, because in almost every house live artisans working to sustain and rework a 12th-century tradition.

The village and the craft share the same name: Pipli. And the two are intrinsically linked.

Once, the craft belonged almost entirely to ritual. Tied to the Jagannath Temple, it was shaped by temple needs and stories that still circulate in the village — of artisans, devotion, and objects meant for the divine.

What began in ritual spaces followed a fixed visual language: reds, yellows, greens, and blacks stitched into elephants, peacocks, flowers, and the sun, designed to be seen from afar.

Today, the tradition continues from courtyards and living rooms where families cut, stitch, and assemble the appliqué work. While its roots remain in temple ritual, Pipli craft has moved beyond shrine walls into homes, markets, and festivals, carried forward by artisans who live where they work.