BROCADE

O
F
UTTAR PRADESH
 INTRODUCTIO
N
# Banaras ( varanasi ), a holy city of uttar -
pradesh is a centre for brocade and hand -
made textiles and saris since ancient times.
# The word brocade is derieved from the
Latin word “ brochus” denoting to transfix.
# The exuisite fabrics, so much appreciated
all over the world, are produced by weaving
with warps and weft threads of different
colors and often of different materials.
 HISTORY
# The brocade weaving centers of India developed in and
around the capitals of kingdoms or holy cities because of
the demand for expensive fabrics by the royal families or
temples.

# The ancient centers were situated mainly in Banaras,

Gujarat, Delhi, Agra and Murshidabad .

# Northern weavers were greatly influenced, so far as

design and technique were concerned, by the brocade
weaving regions of eastern and southern Persia, Turkey,
Central Asia and Afghanistan.
 THE WEAVERS
 Traditionally, the weaving was done
with NAKSHA DRAWLOOMS ; now
jacquard equipment is used. The
weavers or Julahas at Banaras are
Muslims known as Ansaris. Some of
them trace their history back to AD 990,
which is about the period that the
Naksha drawloom is supposed to have
been introduced into India.
TECHNIQUE & EQUIPMENT
Traditionally the weaving was done with naksha drawlooms;
now jacquard equipment is used. Before proceeding with
weaving, the design is drawn out, on paper by a special
category of craftspersons called naqshaband. This design
is then woven on a small wooden frame.
Though the zari figured skills of Banaras are called brocades,
technically, they can be classified as both brocades and
lampas, figured skills. Supplementary thread designs,
including dense border patterns, are almost always woven
as discontinuous supplementary-weft with the highly
decorated end- piece usually ending abruptly in a piece of
unembellished cloth,(15 to 50 cm).
 VARIATIONS

 ZARI BROCADE : patterning is in zari

 AMRU BROCADE : patterning is in silk and
not in zari
 ABRAWANS BROCADE : ground material is
a transparent muslin silk or organza
 ZARI BROCADES
 These saris are among the finest saris in
India and are known for their gold and
silver brocade or Zari , fine silk and
opulent embroidery. The saris are made
of finely woven silk and are decorated
with intricate design, and because of
these engravings , are relatively heavy.
 1. KINKHWAB
 KINKHWAB is an elaborate and heavy form of
brocade fabric. It has an extensive amount of
zari work done on the silk fabric which makes
the fabric nearly invisible. It is a popular bridal
wear fabric. Kinkhwab is characterized by
intricate buta work and detailed surface.
Kinkhwab fabrics are inspired by flora and
fauna. Wet brocade fabrics should not be sun
dried, as they can fade. Such fabrics from
elegant and formal drapes.
 a. TASHI BROCADE
 It is pattern zari brocade used as dress
material. Tashi is type of kinkhwab in
which an extra warp of gold badla zari is
used to create a pattern with an extra
weft of silver badla zari or vice-versa.
Potthan or bafta. In this, the silk
background is patterned with silk pattern
or zari.
 b. ALFI BROCADE
 Alfi is another exclusive and expensive
brocade, used mostly in ceremonial
outfits. Gold or silver patterns are
outlined with single or double coloured
silk threads ; the pattern is called
minakari (enameling).it is speciality of
Banaras.
 2. POTHANS
 Pothans is also known as katan brocade
& Bafta brocade fabric and it is created
by twisting silk filaments together, to
create a surface. Although it has closely
woven silk threads, Katan brocade is
lighter than Kinkhwab fabric. This type
of brocade fabric is usually used to create
rich garments and it is quite expensive.
 AMRU BROCADE
 In these brocades, the supplementary weft
patterning is in silk and not in zari. A
traditional Amru brocade is the tanchoi. The
tanchoi is a densly patterned, heavy fabric
with no floats on the reverse – the “unused”
threads are woven into the “foundation” at
the back. Traditionally , the face of the fabric
has a satin weave ground with small
patterns made by the weft threads repeated
over the entire surface
 ABRAWANS
 Muslin silk / organza base: In the third
variety, the ground material is a
transparent muslin silk or organza, with
a zari and silk thread patterning. So this
can be zari brocade or an amru. The
amount of zari visible can also vary, and
can cover more or less than 50 % of the
base material.
 1. CUT WORK
 Cut work brocade are in which the
transparent silk fabric has supplementary
– weft patterning woven in heavier,
thicker fibers than the ground. Each
motif is not separately woven in by hand
as the back that are cut away by hand
after weaving.
 2. TARBANA
 TARBANA (woven water) in which
the weft threads of the ground are
Zari , not silk, thus creating a
metallic sheen. Several other
weights and shades of
supplementary – weft zari are used
to create the patterning creating an
extremely rich textile.
 a. TISSUE
 A thin transparent light weight mat used
mainly for turbans , walls , dupatta and
saris . Tissue or tarbana is made of single
silk warp and single gold weft.
 b. KORA SILK
 The warp and weft of this material is
used for pure raw silk & designs
made on extra cotton weft. It is
generally used as dress materials
and saris.
 c. MASHRU
 The cloth is distinguised by its butis or
the designs woven in circular shapes
giving an impression of ashrafis and are
usually woven from gold zari. Gul badan
is a known variety of mashru in which
the gold wire is used abundantly.
Mashru became popular among muslims
who were not allowed to wear pure silk.
 MOTIFS & DESIGNS
 Like other decorative arts the textile industry in banaras
was influenced by mughal artists. Strong mughal designs
are visible in the motifs, especially intertwining floral and
foliate motifs; a characteristic motif of the banaras brocade
is a string of upright leaves along inner and outer edges
(jhallar). This is a particular characteristics of the banaras
brocades. Jewellery designs, stylised birds, animals,
flowers,creepers and almond and paisely motifs formed
the main repertoire of designs. Hindu religious motifs also
influenced the brocade designs, specially for the pichwais
and calligraphy textiles. The common motifs are beldar or
scroll patterns, and the butidar designs which usually
have stars and spangles all over the body of the sari.