Woman's Head Shawl (Odhani) Date Unknown

This Odhani, a woman's head shawl, presents us with a rich tapestry of symbols imbued with cultural memory. Dominating the composition are the circles. In many cultures, the circle represents wholeness, the infinite, and the cyclical nature of existence. These circular motifs remind me of the mandala patterns found in Buddhist and Hindu art. Mandalas, often used as meditative aids, share this Odhani's quest for cosmic understanding. The circle echoes through time, appearing in Renaissance art as halos symbolizing divinity, and even in modern psychology as Jungian archetypes representing the self. Perhaps this Odhani served not only as a garment but as a symbolic shield. A shield for protection and a visual declaration deeply intertwined with the wearer’s identity and place within the cosmos. These shapes are vessels carrying our deepest fears and hopes from generation to generation.