Introduction
The Saree is the traditional dress of Indian women and plays an important role in their lives. Because of its elegance and sophistication, most women wear sarees to any occasion.
Banarasi sarees still make a style statement in today’s fashion world. It is a must-have attire for ladies who want to look classy and sophisticated at the same time, banarasi sarees are not just popular in Bengali weddings but are wanted by all women irrespective of their religion or social culture.
It is very common to see all the Indian ladies wear these elegant sarees though they all have a knack for western outfits. Banarasi sarees are getting more popular day by day and women from varied backgrounds and cultures have started to opt for these banarasi sarees.
History Of Banarasi Silk Sarees
The origins of Indian sarees can be traced back to the Hindu mythology of Ramayana, which took place between 1000 and 300 B.C. The Mughal Empire introduced Banarasi silk to India with its complicated weaving and developing craftsmanship. Today’s Banarasi silk is a cross between two cultures: Mughal and Indian. Silk for this saree was once imported from China; now, it is procured from the southern parts of India.
Traditional bridal sarees and designer sarees are the two broad categories of Indian sarees. Banarasi sarees are popular bridal sarees because of their various colors, designs, and textures.
Features Of Banarasi Silk Sarees
Banarasi sarees are produced in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. They are among the greatest classical sarees in India, and because of the rich embroidery, they are heavy, making them ideal for parties, weddings, and festivals. This Saree is typically made in four different fabrics: Georgette, Organza (Kora), Pure silk (Katan), Shatir. Satin borders, Brocades, Resham butidar, Jangla, and Organza are some of the varieties of Banarasi Silk sarees with new designs of human figures, geometric patterns, birds, animals, and fruit, floral.
Persian motifs are also used in Indian creations to form different floral patterns on sarees that are still worn today. For the royal family, Banarasi Sarees were initially adorned with real silver and gold threads. The threads have now been modified with colored silver and gold threads to make them more affordable for everyone today. This well-known saree features eye-catching patterns and colors that are woven on a loom and transported all over the world.
Making Of A Banarasi Saree
Weaving a Banarasi saree usually takes between 15 and 30 days. However, the difficulty of the design and trends must be considered. Normally, three weavers are needed to create this saree. The first weaves the saree, the second controls the rapidly rotating ring in making packages, and the third helps with the border design. Making a Banarasi saree requires collaboration. A Banarasi saree should have approximately 5600 thread wires and be 45 inches wide. The artists create a 24-26 inches long base. The motifs are created starting with the packaging stage.
An artist made design panels by doodling designs on graph paper and incorporating color concepts. Before selecting the final design, punch cards are created, followed by hundreds of perforated cards to accommodate a single saree design. Different colors and threads are used to stitch the perforated cards on the loom. The perforated cards are then canoed sequentially to ensure that the main weave picks up the correct patterns and colors.
What is so special about these banarasi sarees?
The traditional attire of Indian women makes them stand out from the crowd with an air of sophistication and elegance around them. The Banarasi saree is just not only famous in India but also in the International fashion world, every woman wants to own a banarasi saree and flaunt their personality. A lot of Indian fashion designers like Manish Malhotra and Satya Paul are going for this traditional and impactful look for women.
Indian sarees are available in designer and traditional wear out of which traditional sarees are inspired by a multitude of ranges present in banarasi saree. Nowadays, the banarasi saree for the wedding is a very common bridal dress for Indian women. There are so many complex and intricate designs woven into these sarees which can shock anyone the moment you look at them. Usually, it takes about 15 to 180 days to complete such a jaw-dropping piece of human art and no Indian bride is complete without it.
With all the modernization and latest technologies, Varanasi still depends on hand weaving for the making of these banarasi sarees which makes it all the more special and stunning. In the olden days, silver and gold threads were used to weave Banarasi Sarees and even now the artists use zari work to make it look like original silver and gold threads. The sarees with silver and gold threads were specifically made for the royal families and the artists got their ideas from marigold flowers, emeralds, betel nut leaf, jasmine, and other beautiful natural wonders.
Where are these Banarasi Sarees available?
These days, banarasi sarees are becoming very popular and are every woman’s first choice. There are so many websites available where one can buy traditional silk sarees online all around the globe. They are very much in demand with their trendy and topical weavings by the amazing artists who work with emeralds, motifs, and zari. Although, these banarasi sarees originated in India women from all around the globe from all social cultures love to wear this beautiful attire.
Conclusion
In terms of silk production, India ranks second only to China. India exports silk from over 200 countries worldwide, and demand is increasing, particularly in Europe and America. Because of the unique patterns and intricate designs on the sarees, these conventional, as well as gorgeous Banarasi silk sarees, are recognized globally.
The grandness of banarasi fabric is not only confined to six yards of elegance, aesthetics are now being reflected in various dimensions. With the latest technology,banarasi fabric is also used for ornamentation. There has been an increase in diversification in banarasi fabric. Banarasi brocade enjoys a very special place in weddings, as it is used in potli-giftings bags, jewelry, cushion covers, table mats, drapes, creating ceilings, and curtains as well.