Welcome to varanasi Art & culture (Silk)

Silk

vanarasi is a synihesis of many influences - like the merging of the waters of the Ganga and the Yamuna. This synthesis is also reflected in its crafts Take silk, what is woven and designed by Muslims and sold by Hindus Tradirionally silk was considered the purest cloth for rituals and was used only to clothe temple deities. In fact, in ancient times, silk weavers used to live within the preincts of temples and perhaps that is how the silk trade came to the temple town of Varanasi. Silk is woven into the very myth and history of Kashi. It is also said that after he attained Paruurvana, the Buddha's body was wrapped in silk from Kashi, woven so fine it did not even absorb oil. A variety of silk called gaiser was specially woven for the monks of the Tibetan monasteries. In India, the silk sari from Varanasi is a legend of beauty. It was called kassiya or Kashivastra and even today, every Indian bride craves for at least one Benarasi sari in her trousseau. The silk saris woven here use yarn that comes trom Kanuataka. It is the processing of the silk that give silk from every region its unique texture.
Silk yardage from the South is stiff as it is polished with wax. In Varanasi, the unprocessed or kora silk yarn is boiled and twisted, and then processed using arrowroot, reetha and flour. This soft skein is then woven into yardage called katan. he most famous weaves are the heavy jamdani brocades woven with gold and silver thread called zari. Even fifty years ago, the zari was made of pure gold and silver, and these saris, when no longer worn, were sold for the precious metal they contained. Today real zari saris are only made to order, and what is available off-the-rack are saris with synthetic zari. The other weave special to Varanasi is the tanchoi, an embossed weave that is said to have come from China with the traders. The intricate baluchar pattern is originally from Bengal, and the Varanasi weaver added zari to it. The valkalam on the other hand uses only satin thread and many of its designs are taken from motifs seen in miniature paintings. The motifs used on the Banarasi sari have beautiful names like guldasta (bouquet), ambi (mango or paisley), latifa (flowers), bel-buta (creeper and buds) and badal me phul (blossoms in clouds). To see the weavers at work you have to travel to the localities of Alaipura, Madanpura and Lallapura. Most weavers work from home and they can sometimes be a bit wary of visitors. So it is a good idea to get a guide to take you there and enter only if invited to do so. To watch wholesale trading in saris, go to the sattees, the dealer markets in Golghar and Kunj Gali. The sattees are a shimmering wonderland of silk the dealers called gaddias in tiny cubicles ccalled gaddis on white floor mattresses, leaning on bolsters The weavers or karigars arrive tarrying their card board boxes of saris and they spread out the rainbow- hued silks. the transaction is done in a rapid-fire code of numbers. Retail rtaders come from all corners of the country to buy saris from these gaddidarrs. Way back in the 2nd century BC, the grammarian patanjali tells of how the vaishyas or traders referred to Varanasi as jaishila for commerce always triumphed here.

Varanasi is famous for its silk weaving, and Banarasi silks are a part of every girl's wedding trousseau. Banaras Brocades are prized the world over. Brassware, copperware, wooden and clay toys, and exquisite gold jewellery are some of the other crafts the city is famous for. The hand-knotted carpets of Mirzapur and musical instruments are among the other shopping attractions. Varanasi is also famous for its Langda Aam, a variety of mangoes available in the summer. Betel leaf is also a speciality. The main shopping areas are Chowk, Vishwanath Gali, Thatheri bazaar, Lahurabir, Godou- lia, Dashswamedh Gali and Golghar. Banarsi silk with hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering them commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare. Still, it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are Thatheri Bazaar (for brass), Jnana Vapi and Vishwanatha Gali with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery), the State run emporia and Mahatex in Godaulia, Chowk, and the three handloom outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag. Qazi Sadullahpura, near Chhavi Mahal Cinema, lies at the heart of a fascinating Muslimt neighbourhood devoted to the protion of' silk Varanasi is famous for its silk weaving cottage industry. The process of weaving silk begins with the making of the yarn and then rolling it on to a spindle a job that requires dexterous fingers. Entire families are involved in this creative work. Large looms are set up at home, with an elaborate frame for the warp and weft threads. Banarasi silk brocades have small, often minute, motifs made of gold or silver thread. Each motif has to be created individually using tiny shuttles. In the old days, authentic gold thread was used, but to- day artificial fibre has replaced it. Varanasi has been famous for its Gharanas in classical music and singing. And the musicians and singers here have always been striking sweet notes because of the quality musical instruments manu- factured in the city.

[Temples] / [Festivals] / [Historical Places] / [Kashi yatra] /[Ghats] /[Art & Culture] / [Festival] / [Shopping]
[Don't miss it] / [Education] / [Banarasi masti] / [Inportant Info.] / [Home Page]