Silk Banarasi

While the most famous Banarasi silk dates to the medieval period, the city of Kashi was an established center for fine textiles, especially cotton and brocades, since ancient times.

  • Vedic Mentions: Ancient scriptures, like the Rig Veda, mention Hiranya (cloth of gold), which is considered a precursor to the modern zari and kimkhab (brocade) work of Banaras.

  • Early Motifs: Designs were often inspired by local Hindu and Buddhist traditions, featuring motifs like the lotusand other sacred symbols.

    The traditional Banarasi design is essentially a vocabulary of specific motifs, most of which have Persian or cultural origins:

    • Buti / Butta: Small, independent floral or coin-like motifs scattered across the body. The Ashrafi Buti (gold coin) symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

    • Bel / Bel-Buti: Delicate, curving vines laden with flowers or leaves, often used along the borders or as a creeper pattern on the body.

    • Koniya: A stylized paisley or floral pattern woven diagonally into the four corners of the pallu (the elaborate end-piece of the saree).

    • Jhallar: A string of upright leaves, often designed to look like a fringe, characterizing the outermost edge of the border.

    • Meenakari: The use of colorful silk threads alongside the metallic zari threads to fill in the motifs, creating an enamel-like effect.