Banaras or Varanasi is better known as the cultural capital of India, A place that truly represents our history, our traditions and gives a great insight into the Hindu culture, Mark Twain called Banaras as a city older than history itself, a city full of art, of beautiful silks and muslin almost draping the city in their grandeur and vivacity.
Fashion-wise, Banaras is the city that gave us the formidable Banarasi saree which is one of finest, grandest sarees ever known. It's highly unlikely to not fall in love with a well-woven Banarasi Silk saree. With its shimmering gold and silver threads woven so intricately to give such fine designs, A Banarasi saree surely makes one stand out in a crowd.
The Banarasi saree is an evergreen classic, one that is almost an heirloom for many generations since an original one is quite highly-priced. Not just Bengali brides but, It is a must-have in every bride's trousseau and any bride who chooses to flaunt it definitely turns heads. It is definitely THE outfit for mom of the bride too since it is a symbol of feminine simplicity, royalty, and class. The country's top fashion designers love to play around with Banarasi Silk, be it lehengas or sarees.
MAKING OF THE BANARASI
Originally, the Banarasi Saree was made on handlooms by specialized karigars who wove it delicately over not just days but months at stretch, depending on the design of the saree. But the current scenario is different. The saree can be manufactured using machines and that cuts down its cost by a huge margin and makes it commercially more viable.
Banarasi Sarees are available in four varieties- Organza (Kora), Georgette saree, Shatir saree, and Pure silk saree (Katan)
One may find different varieties of Banarasi silk in the market, namely- organza, satin borders, jangla, Brocades, Tanchoi, cutwork, and Resham butidar that have interesting designs of animals, birds, floral, fruit, human figures, and geometric patterns. Many designs include Persian motifs to create distinct flower patterns of the saree. While the original Banarasi was embellished with threads made from real gold and silver for the royal family, nowadays they have been replaced with coloured gold and silver threads to make them more affordable. The stunning patterns and bright colors of silk make this a much sought after fabric world over.
STYLING THE BANARASI
