
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.
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Banaras is one of the rich weaving craft centres of India, famous for brocades, sarees and dress material. The unique and intricate silk brocades and sarees of Banaras have made it famous worldwide. Some of the different varieties of sarees produced here include Jangla, Tanchoi, Vaskat, Cutwork, Tissue and Butidar, which are made of silk warp and silk weft on plain/satin ground base and brocaded with extra weft patterns in different layouts. Buties, Bells, Creepers, Buttas in ground, border and anchal can be introduced to give a glamorous appearance.
With the changing times and consumer preference, the weavers of this cluster are also undertaking changes in the design and pattern of the product along with product diversification. In order to cater to the need of the oversees and domestic buyers, weavers are producing home furnishing, silk dhotis, stole, scarf, muffler, mats, dress material, wall hanging, and made ups like curtains, cushion covers, table covers, napkins, runners, etc
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The form has been derived from the interlocking of the warp and the weft. Where these threads stand for the collaborative institutes giving their inputs and the artisans giving their skills. The interaction between them leading t a close network. The warp and weft have been molded to form a three - dimensional cube.
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