BANARASI SARIS

Silk saris are the ultimate choice of Indian ladies for any special occasion. Of the wide variety of silk
saris produced all over India, each exclusive to the area where it is produced, Banarasi Saris are one
of the foremost choices of the ladies, especially in the northern and eastern part of India. These saris
are produced in and around Varanasi, also referred to as Banaras, the old name of the city being Kashi
or Kasi.

Weaving of the silk saris requires a lot of skill and time due to the elaborate and intricate designs used.
Initially weaving was done on throw shuttle pit loom with jacquard attachment. However, presently
power loom and rapier loom are used. Silk and zari are used for extra weft designs. In olden days, very
fine and delicate gold and silver threads or wires were interwoven instead of yarn, providing the sari a
metallic sheen. Motifs of flowers, fruits, animals, birds, geometric patterns and human figures are woven
in harmonious combination into the saris. Using a handloom, it takes two to six months for making a
sari depending on the intricacy of design, but a machine can produce a sari in a few days. However,
craftsmen maintain that finishing and perfection can be achieved only in handlooms.

Origin and History of Banarasi Saris

The earliest reference to embroidery work is in the Rig Veda (1500 BC). Hiranya, the cloth of gold worn
by Gods has been usually interpreted as the earliest equivalent of the present-day brocade or Kinkhab.

The Jataka tales, dated at about 300 BC, are set near Banaras. The Kasi kingdom is mentioned as a
principal centre of manufacturing cotton as well as silk.

The sage Patanjali (200 BC) mentions about Kasika textile in the Sunga period. The sage says that the
textile of Kasi was more expensive and probably of better quality than similar material of Mathura. The
glory of textile of Banaras is found in the Sanskrit anthology Divyavadana, a Buddhist text of the same
period where Kasika Vastra and Kasi Kasikamsu are mentioned.

The silk weaving industry of Banaras came into prominence during the rule of Akbar (1556-1605) due
to his patronage. From Akbar’s reign onwards we find use of brocades as depicted in the Mughal and
Rajasthani paintings. Mughals inspired floral motifs. Half blooming flowers appear in Akbar’s paintings,
poppy attached to delicate creepers are found in Jehangir’s period while Shahjahan’s period specialises
in study of leaves.

We find mention of Banarasi brocades is the records left behind by some European travellers who
visited Banaras. Ralph Fitch, who visited the court of Akbar had to say that the craftsmen of Banaras
manufactured turbans for the Mughals in great numbers. We find from the paintings that the turbans
used by the Mughal were intricately decorated brocade.

Peter Mundy, who came to India in 1628 during the reign of Shah Jahan visited Vishwanath Temple
reports of a silk canopy over the Shiva Lingam.

French gem merchant and renowned traveller Jean Baptiste Tavernier visited India and Persia between
1630 and 1668 for six times. This was during Shah Jahan’s reign (1628-1658). When Tavernier went
to Banaras, he saw the loftiest buildings in India, evidence of the prosperity of Banaras. There was a
caravan sarai where the weavers directly sold both cotton and silk produce. He noticed brocades and
other silk material used as canopy over holy platforms. Cummer bunds and turbans for men and dupatta
for women, made of a variety of silk, were produced in Banaras during the Mughal period.

Niccolao Manucci, the famous Venetian writer, doctor and traveller, in his work Storia do Mogor, an
account of Mughal history and life, records that Banaras exported gold and silver zari textiles all over
the world and they were of the best quality.

Varieties of Silk

Tandoori – Malda is the main supplying centre and it is used for the best quality of Kinkhab.

Banaks, Subhani, Angrezi – Thinner and finer silks used for soft fabric
Mukta – Rough and uneven but durable class of silk used for brocade

Sandal – Both white and yellow varieties are imported from Central Asia.

Ghungaru – There are five varieties – Chinia, Katan, Pat, Chashm and Tasser

Varieties of Banarasi Saris

Banarasi saris are classified on two basis – material and design.

The classification according to material are Katan, Organza, Georgette and Shattir.

Katan Saris are plain woven saris using pure silk thread. Tanduri, Banaks, Mukta and Sandals are the
varieties of silk used. In Banaras, the yarn is prepared by twisting various silk filaments which makes
the yarn very sturdy and durable at the same time being fine, soft and lustrous. The origin of Katan Silk
goes back to Persia and ladies of the royal family of the Mughal Emperors wore luxuriously and
elaborately designed attires stitched from Katan Silk.

Organza Saris are lightweight, plain weave, sheer fabric traditionally woven from silk. To keep the
sari light and sheer, it is woven in an extremely low density that results in a transparent and
relatively flimsy textile. Silver threads dipped in gold or silver threads or cotton weft threads are
used in place of regular weft passing warp for brocade work, the motifs being regular or irregular.
Georgette is another variety of light weight fabric. Generally plain weave crepe yarn is used to
develop a fine, light weight and open texture fabric.
Shattir fabric is used to produce beautiful contemporary and exclusive Banarasi designs.
And the classification on the basis of design is Silk Jamdani, Jangla, Jamawar Tanchoi, Cut Work,
Tissue and Butidar Saris.

The Banarasi Silk Jamdani is the traditionally woven sari and is considered as the finest of Banarasi
silk saris. In these saris, silk fabric is brocaded with cotton and at times with zari threads. Traditional
motifs of Chameli (jasmine), Panna Hazari (thousand emeralds), Genda buti (marigold), Pan buti (betel
leaf), Tircha (diagonal stripes), etc. are used. The most attractive design is a Konia or corner motif
having a floral mango buti. These fabrics are ornamented with a technique known as Kadhua. When
one coloured thread is used in weaving it is known as Ek Meena and for two coloured threads Do
Meena.

Jangla Saris are considered to be the oldest design in Banarasi brocade saris. Silk threads are used
to make a colourful sari with intricate patterns of birds, flowers and leaves on creepers, the creepers
often embellished with gold zari and the flowers with silver, distinguishing this type from other Banarasi
saris. Mina karigari is also used for decoration of the fabric.

Jamawar Tanchoi Saris are designed using extra colourful weft silk yarn for designing patterns. The
paisley motifs used are from the Jamawar Shawls of Kashmir. The threads are completely woven into
the fabric. Zig zag patterns are usually woven into the Pallu of the sari.

Cut Work Saris are the cheaper variety of Jamdani. Motifs of jasmine, marigold, leaves, etc. are used
in cutwork. The effect of Jamdani is given by cutting extra weft thread that hang loose and this pattern
runs from edge to edge. This type of sari provides a transparent look.

Tissue Sari are woven using a technique which gives the material a golden sheen. Use of zari adds to
the glamour. The patterns used are dense with golden lotuses floating in a glimmering pond by adding
a combination of zari and silk. Borders and panels have diamond patterns enclosed by a border of
running paisley motif.

Butidar Saris are richly woven, brocaded with threads of gold, silver, and colourful silk. These are dark
blue in colour and are also known as Ganga and Jamuna Sari due to the darker shade of gold and
lighter shade of silver threads. The end panel has a row of arches, each arch having a bouquet of
flowers. Various types of butis like Angoor Bail (grapes creeper), Ashraf (Coin), Jhumar (Ornament),
Patti (leaf), Aam (mango), carrot, litchi, etc. are designed into the saris. Katan silk is used for this variety
of saris.

Making of Banarasi Saris

In a handloom normally three weavers are required to carry out the work. One weaves the sari, the
second one runs the revolving ring in making bundles and the third weaver is involved in border design.
Ideally, a Banarasi sari has around 5600 thread wires and all are 45 inches wide. The weavers make a
base of 24 to 26 inches long.

Silk yarns, processed, are available readily in the market, procured from Malda, China, Japan, and
Central Asia. The silk yarn that is mostly used in Banarasi Saris is Ghungaru. The weavers purchase
the silk threads of suitable weight and dye with the requisite colour. Weaving is done and the dyeing
process continues thereafter. The yarn, after the initial stages of processing and dyeing, is segregated
to undergo the warp and weft process. The threads are then spun into spools in a spinning wheel to
prepare the spools to load onto the fly shuttle.

Designing the motifs begin at the bundling stage. The design that is to be created on a sari is first
created on graph paper using the colours to be used. The designs are sometimes hand drawn or mostly
done in pixel calculation and printed on graph sheets, which become the reference to the punch card
known as Jacquard Cards. Punch cards are then created following the design on the graph sheet, are
tied together and loaded on the weaving machine. Hundreds of such punch cards go into forming a
single design.

To carry out the weaving, the loom is set up with the threads. The punch cards are fixed onto the
weaving machine. The threads are pulled through the cards in the predetermined fashion as decided in
the graph paper and weaving is carried out. The perforated cards are set up in a systematic manner to
ensure the weaving machine picks up the right colours and patterns. High level of planning, precision
and accuracy is required both before and during weaving.
REFERENCE

1. INDIAN SARIS – TRADITIONS – PERSPECTIVES - DESIGN – VIJAY SINGH KATIYAR

2. DREAM OF WEAVING: STUDY & DOCUMENTATION OF BANARASI SAREES &
BROCADES – MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, UNCTAD & DFID
3. HANDCRAFTED SILK AND ZARI SAREES: HERITAGE OF BANARAS - EASHVERYA
AGRAWAL
4. THE DECLINE OF VARANASI SILK HANDLOOM COTTAGE INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY
OF BROCADE WEAVING COMMUNITY IN VARANASI – SANA FAISAL