Parrot
A parrot motif, a symbol of love and good news, often woven in pairs in Paithani and other sarees.
Also: popat, kili, tota, shuka
The parrot appears often in Indian poetry and art, as a bird that speaks and carries messages between lovers. It is the vehicle of Kama, the god of love. In textiles it is woven or printed as a single bird, a pair, or a row on a border. Paithani weavers make the parrot, called popat in Marathi, in the pallu or the border. In Gujarat it is a motif of Patan patola and of bandhani and gharchola, and it is also seen in Banarasi and in Tamil silk. Its bright green gives a strong accent among the reds and blues.