BANARAS SAREES:

Banaras is one of the rich weaving craft centre of India, famous for Brocade
saris and allover dress material. Exclusive varieties of the saris are Jangla,
Tanchoi, Vaskat, Cutwork, Tishu, and Butidar which are made of silk warp
and silk weft, on plain/satian ground base, brocaded with extra weft
patterns in different layouts introducing Buties, Bells, creepers, Buttas in
ground, border and Anchal for getting glamours appearance.
As in the History of the India Banaras is known since regveda about 1500
year 2000 year BC and also a period of Ramayana and Mahabharat come to
know identical reference about the fame of Banarasi Sharee and Fabrics as
known Hiranya Vastra (Putamber Vastra). In the ancient time Banaras was
famous for the weaving of cotton saree and dress materials, but slowly
switched over to silk weaving, during the Moghal period around 14th century
weaving of brocades with intricate designs using gold & Silver threads was
the speciality of Banaras.
BROCADE :-

Brocade refer to those textiles where in patterns are created in weaving by

transfixing or thrusting the pattern-thread between the warp. In regular
weaving the weft thread passes over and under the warp thread regularly.
But when brocade designs in gold, silver silk or cotton threads are to be
woven, special threads are transfixed in between by skipping the passage of
the regular weft over a certain number of warp
threads (depending upon the pattern) and by regularising
the skipping by means of pre-arranged heddles for each
type of patterning. There may be several sets of heddles so
arranged that on different occasions, they raise and
depress irregular number of threads in turn, as required by
the exigencies of the pattern.
Zari-brocades-When gold and silver threads are use along
with or without silk-threads, thrust either as special weft
or warp to create glittering raised or-namentation. We have
the Zari brocade kind of fabrics. When we talk of gold or
silver threads. It is to be under stood that the gold,threads
are actually only silver threads with gold polish and that these threads are
obtained by closely winding extremely fine gold or silver wire around a silk
thread.
According to Sir George Watt, When the gold and silver threads were used
so densely that the ground was hardly visible, the material was kinkhab
proper and was too heavy for clothing, it was therefore used for trappings,
hangings and furnishing. Only that material in which the Zari patterns were
scattered was true brocade. This was used for clothing.

BANARAS SILK JAMDANI :-

The silk Jamdani, a technical variety of brocade or the 'figured muslin'
,traditionally woven in Banaras may be considered to be one of the finest
products to come out of the Banarasi loom. Here silk fabric is brocaded
with cotton and rarely with zari threads. jamdani is woven by transfixing the
pattern thread between a varying number of warp threads in proportion to
the size of the designed then throwing the shuttle to pass the regular weft.
By repeating this process, where in the size and placing of the cut-thread is
in accordance with the character of the pattern, the Jamdani weaver
produces arrange of intricate designs.
Some of the traditional motifs of Jamdani included Chameli (Jas mine),
panna hazar (Thousand emeralds) genda buti (marigold flower)pan buti (leaf
form) tircha (diagonally striped) etc. The most attractive design feature of
the Jamdani sari was konia or a corner-motif having a floral mango buta.
It has own special character of (URTU) Binding in the figured disignes on
ground fabrics using extra weft designs thread dampatch technique for the
or namentation of the sharee. It is silk x silk base fabrics or-namented with
extra looking and technique of weaving in karhuwan.

JANGLA SAREE :-
Brocade weavers of Banares have often endeavoured to add a sense of
gaiety and festivity by brocading patterns in colourful silk threads amidst
the usual gold and silver motifs ;of the brocade convention. The present sari
is an example in which muga silk motifs have been in laid. Jangala wildly
scrolling and spreading vegetation motif is among the eldest in Banares
brocades. This old rose sari is embellished with beautifully contrasted gold-
creepers and silver flowers of the Jangala motif.The borders have brocaded
running creepers in muga silk and gold and silver-Zari threds.The end panel is
a combination of motifs of the borders and condensed Jangala of the field.
Muga silk brocading in-hances the beauty of the sari while reducing the cost.
All over Jal Jangla design to get the stylish work of the sarees and also used
mena work for the decoration of the fabrics. The exclusive design saree has
time taking skilled work, costly fabrics are widely accepted during the
wedding occassion.

JAM WAR TANCHOI SARI :-

Using a technique similar to that of brocade, weavers of Banaras weave saris

using colorful extraweft silk yarn for patterning . This varietyis known as
tanchoi. This maroon-coloured sari in satin weave is brocaded with elaborate
motifs from the Jamawar shawl tradition from Kashmir, the characteristic
feature of which was paisley motif, often elaborated into a maze which
would look kateidos-copic in character. The field has a densely spread minute
diaper of Jamawar style paisley. The end panel has large motifs of multiple
paisley forms-one growing out of the other. The border, as well as the cross-
borders of the end panel, have miniature paisley creepers. Tanchoi fabric
has remarkable fame in the India as well as all over in the world widely
acceptable to all kind of the people.

TISSU SAREE :-

The renowned Zari brocade weavers of Banaras has

evolved a technique of weaving tissue material which looked
like golden cloth. By running Zari in weft a combination of
Zari and silk in extra-weft (pattern thread) and silk in
warp, the weave of this sari has densely patterned with
golden lotuses floating in a glimmering pond.The 'drops of
water' are created by cut work technique. The borders and
the end panel have a diaper of diamond patterns enclosed
by a border of running paisley motifs. Tissue saris are most popular as
wedding saris among the affluent. Tissue sari has glazed, shining character
due to the use of real gold Zari/Silver Zari in weft on silk worp ground are
ornamented with the particulars traditional design such as Jangla Butidar,
Shikargah menadar etc.

BUTIDAR SAREE :-

The most striking feature of this dark blue silken saree is that it is
brocaded with pattern threads of gold, silver and silk. Due to darkar shade
of gold and lighter of silver this variety of patterning in brocade is
conventionally known as Ganga-Jamuna, indicating the confluence of these
two river whose waters are believed to be dark and light receptively. The
end panel has a row of arches, in each of which a bouquet of flowers is
placed. A slightly smaller and variegated bouquet is diapered all over the
field.
The butidar saree is a rich kind of the Banaras Saree in high traditional
pattern and motiff of the design locally popularised such as Angoor Bail,
Gojar Bail, Luttar Bail, Khulta bail, Baluchar bail, Mehrab bail, Doller
butti,Ashraffi Butti, Latiffa Butti, Reshem Butti Jhummar Butti,Jhari
Butta, Kalma Butti,Patti Butti, Lichhi Butti, Latiffa Butta, Kairy Kalanga
Thakka Anchal, Mehrab Anchal, Baluchar Butta with the use of real gold and
silver Jari and Katan silk in the weft.

Diversification of Traditional Product:

Keeping in view to get global market, the need for the diversification of
traditional Varanasi Sarees and dress material was felt long ago. Slowly but
standly production of these items are gaining momentum. The main item
which have been diversified are named below:-

Stole 22"*72"
Scarf 45"*90", 36"*36", 36"*90"
Muflar 11"*72", 10"*60"
Mats 16"*16", 18"*18"
Dress material Running
Furnishing Running
Wall Hanging Various diamention
Made ups like Curtain, cussion cover, Table cover, Napkins, Runners etc.

Since the fashion of the international Consumer changes time to time.

Therefore making pace with the same the Handloom weavers have to
switching over to the new type of products, keeping alive their traditional
skills, for earning comparatively better wages. In the Banaras following
localty are famous for weaving of different traditional Diversified products.
Madanpura, Reori talab, Bajardeeha, Ram Nagar, Lohta, Bari Bazar, Pili Kothi,
Chittanpura, Doshipura and Lallapura etc.