Varanasi or Banaras or Kashi the city's legacy comes interwoven in a web of immortality. Varanasi is more than a city it is an experience. One of the oldest living cities in the world, there is a treasure trove of history and mythology around every corner. And it is this eternal history which has given birth to the timeless art of brocade weaving which parallels the enigma and influence of the city itself. Just like the ancient city, its brocade weaving culture has withstood in the face of over thousands of years of its existence, still continues to flourish.   Varanasi is the confluence of spiritual abode of many religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Jainism which overlap seamlessly.

It is perhaps fitting then, that, the influence of Banarasi brocade is stitched into all the different modes of spirituality and thus unites them. Whether it is the Hindu Brahmin sitting by the holy Ganga River, the Buddhist monk meditating at Sarnath or the Muslim weavers who have been dominating face behind the weaving art in the city, brocade designs have clung to all of their shoulders.

The city which homes the almighty Lord Shiva, one of the sacred places for Hindu Religion, also embraced the Jainism and Buddhism in the parts of the city called “Sarnath”. The history says Mahatma Buddha preached his first ever sermon under the Banyan Tree (Pipal) popularly called as “Bodhi Vriksha”. History also says Parshvanatha; the 23rd Tirthankar of the Jainism was born in this holy city. The cultural heritage of the city, of course, was largely influenced by the cultural diversities of the religious growth and the art and culture synonymously inscribed the artifacts into the great Brocade weaving.

The city is bestowed by the River Ganga, the mother of all rivers in India which flows majestically from south to north of the city making a curvature signifying half moon and has been a mother to the inhabitants through a dozen of Ghats (steps of the water front) providing livelihood opportunities to millions. The population derived their strength not only manufacturing the dream brocades and sarees but also bringing smiles in the face of millions of devotees and tourists who visit to the city in the year round.

Also near the Ghats and the old city area are Varanasi's world-famous Gullies, or very thin lanes, that lead to the river. The Gullies are populated with a colourful potpourri of people, animals, food, culture, and spirituality. Many of the silk traders in the city work and set up shop in these mazy-thin lanes, attracting buyers of all types towards their silky treasures. Also since its origin, this holy city has also been famous for being a centre of education. The trend of intellectuals and learned souls visiting and blossoming in this city has been kept alive since the Vedic period. The teaching of spirituality and philosophy has been paralleled by the passing down of the weaving art between the weaver gurus and their eager students. Additionally, some of the most prestigious higher education institutes of the country such as the Banaras Hindu University, the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth,

the Sampoornanand Sanskrit University, and the unique Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS) are situated in this city. The CIHTS is near Sarnath and the Tibetan-Buddhist part of Varanasi, from where the famous Tibetan brocade style has developed.

The city has played host to some of the greatest writers, artists, philosophers, teachers and spiritual gurus of all time. Over its illustrious history, it has been blessed by great creative minds such as Kabir, who though being born in a poor weaver's family created his own cult of followers because of his philosophy towards religion and life, Tulsidas- the blessed writer of the Immortal Epic known as the Ram Charitra Manas (the Life saga of Lord Ram), and one of the greatest Hindi Novelists of all times to come- Munshi Prem Chand. Musical legends and Bharat Ratna Award winners (the Biggest Civilian Honour in India) such as Sitar Maestro Pundit Ravi Shanker and Shahnai Maestro Late Ustad Bismillah Khan, who are famous for having performed their timeless music while adorned in Banaras brocade, are also known to have connections with the holy city of Varanasi.

The city is well known for its special food and culture. A couple of the most famous exports of the city include the Banarasi Paan and the Banarasi sari, both of which come together in marriages and other cultural festivals that take place in the city. Even as the city is now welcoming a plethora of western influences, it has kept alive its own unique styles and special traditions. The weaving industry in Varanasi, which flourished during the Vedic period and touched its peak at the time of Mughal period, explains how the act of weaving was a part and parcel of the life of the Banarasi people. Whether it is the religious activity or earning of livelihood for the population, weaving surpassed all other occupations in the city. The entire textile home based industry has thus found its place throughout Indian history, from Rig Vedic literature to post independent India.