The History of Benarasi Silk Saris
Saris are important garments in an Indian woman's wardrobe. The sari is the traditional garment for Indian women; it originated in North and South India. There are a few regions that are famous for their saris but none are as famous as Benaras. The Benarasi silk sari is richly embroidered, making it heavy and it is usually only worn during special occasions such as weddings.
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Geography
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Benarasi silk saris hail from Varanasi, also known as Benaras or Banaras. It is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on the west bank of the Ganges River and is considered to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The silk used for the saris was historically imported from China but modern saris are made with silk imported from Bangalore, India.
History
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Several first-millennium Buddhist texts mention Benaras fabrics, giving the indication that Benaras has been the center of fine textile weaving for at least two millennia. During the past few centuries, the weavers of Benaras have been overwhelmingly Muslims belonging to the Julaha community. Some of the weavers have been able to trace their lineage back to 990 AD. The Benarasi silk saris reached the climax of their fame during the Mughal era in the 1600s. During that time the traditional motifs of the sari underwent a change and combined Indian and Persian patterns.
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Features
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Benarasi silk saris are traditionally made in four varieties: pure silk (Katan), organza (Kora), Georgette sari, and Shatir sari. Traditional designs of the brocade include jasmine (chameli), thousand emeralds (panna hazar), marigolds (genda buti), betel nut leaves (paan buti), diagonal stripes (tircha) and the corner motif with a mango flower (konia). Originally the saris were embellished with threads made from real gold and silver for use by the royal family. In modern times, this has been replaced by gold- and silver-colored thread, making the saris affordable for the general population.
Time Frame
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Historically, three people have been needed to make one sari using a powerloom. One artisan weaves the silk, one dyes the silk, and the third engages the power ring creating bundles of silk. The motifs are drawn on graph paper as a pattern for punchcards, which will be used as guides for the thread during the weaving process. It takes from 15 days to six months to create the sari, depending on how intricate the design is. When the saris were made exclusively for royalty, they took up to one year to make.
Significance
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The sari is the traditional dress for Indian women and is a symbol of India. In fact, the tradition goes so far back that saris are mentioned in the Mahabharata (one of the two epics that play an important part of Hindu mythology), which dates to between 1000 and 300 B.C.
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