Banarasi brocade is not a mere fabric — it is a living testament to the subcontinent’s handweaving skills. It’s also a personal museum of memories, of sorts, with a grandmother or mother handing her bundle of life stories over to the next generation with her Banarasi sari.
For generations, the Banarasi sari has been an intrinsic part of every Indian bride’s trousseau. She is usually clad in a bright red and gold Banarasi sari for the main wedding ceremony, and the sari remains a cherished collectible in her wardrobe, often handed down to the next generation as a precious heirloom.
Banarsi silks find mention in the Mahabharata and even in some ancient Buddhist texts. Banaras is believed to have flourished as a textile centre when it was the capital of the Kasi kingdom, of which Siddhartha (later known as Gautam Buddha) was the prince. In Bhuddha Sutra, when Prince Siddhartha decides to renounce worldly luxuries, he takes off his silk clothes, mentioned to be woven by the weavers of Kasi to get into simplest of attires.
Banarasi hand-weaving has seen many changes in preferences of colours, patterns, motifs, borders and styles over the years. Between 350 AD to 500 AD, floral patterns, animal and bird depictions gained popularity. By the 13th century, ‘Butidar’ designs were excessively in demand. With the coming of the Mughals, Islamic patterns like birds, florals and ‘Jali’ or ‘Jaal’ came in vogue. Later in the 19th century, Indian designs started showing a close resemblance to Victorian style wall papers and geometrical patterns (a carry forward of the Mughal Lattice work).
Brocade is a speciality of Benaras fabric. It is a characteristic weave in which patterns are created by thrusting the Zari threads (pure form of Zari is a thread drawn out of real gold) between warp at calculated intervals so as to evolve the design/Buti line by line. A type of loom called Drawloom or ‘Jalla’ is used to weave a brocade fabric. Usually, 3 artisans work together for fifteen days to six months to create a Banarsi sari, depending on the intricateness of the design. For more intricate royal designs, the artisans may even take one year to complete the sari.
With the advancement of technology, these are now woven on Jacquard looms, which allow for pre-planning of the entire design and then going about the entire process rather mechanically.
Today, in India, while Banarasi saris continue to enchant ladies, the fabric is being creatively used in contemporary fashion. Modern designers have been known to employ traditional brocade weaving and patterns in the creation of renowned pieces or collections. Brocades are used in western style clothing like jackets, pants or dresses.
Salvatore Ferragamo created Banarasi brocade shoes for Project Renaissance that was held in DLF Emporio Delhi in 2013. Internationally acclaimed Indian designers Abraham & Thakore collaborated with the Ministry of Textiles to put out a contemporary bridal line using Banarasi brocade at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi. Other designers like Shaina NC, Ritu Kumar, Manish Malhotra, Sandeep Khosla, Shruti Sancheti, Anita Dongre and Rina Dhaka also actively use and promote this magical fabric in their collections.
At Praan:t, a top fashion studio in Pune, designer Monika Chordia sources Banarasi brocade directly from hand weavers in Banaras and uses it to create an exclusive designer collection of stylish occasion wear and smart casual wear for ladies. At Praan:t, brocade is combined with other textile crafts of India such as Bhuj embroidery, vegetable-dye fabrics from Rajasthan, hand block-printed fabrics from Gujarat and clamp-dye fabrics to craft a range of bespoke apparel for women and traditional wear for men that are stunningly stylish yet wonderfully wearable.
Monika Chordia believes the traditional handloom and textile crafts of India must be treasured and promoted. Handwoven fabrics need a premium value; the weaver and craftsman must benefit economically so that their craft endures and flourishes in the face of competition from cheaper, mass-produced mill-made textiles. More information visit :-http://www.praant.com/