A profile of Banaras silk sarees
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Date
2008
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UAS, Dharwad
Abstract
The present study on ‘A profile of Banaras silk sarees’ was conducted during 2006-
08. In total 100 weavers were personally interviewed to collect information on historical
background, prevailing weaving techniques, economic viability of various silk sarees and
socio-economic status of weavers dwelling in Banaras city and three villages viz. Cholapur,
Lohta, and Phulpur. Some where during 990 AD the brocades were woven on throw-shuttle
pit looms with Jala and Naksha attachments. By 1930s elaborate and intricate designs were
produced with Jacquard technique. Earlier, Hindus were the handloom weavers and then
became traders after teaching brocade weaving to migrant Muslims. Thus, majority of the
weavers are Muslims where this occupation is inherited. Most of them are wage weavers
having joint family system with 4-6 members and belong to middle income group. The basic
raw materials are silk and zari purchased from Bangalore, Malda, China or local dealers on
credit. The variegated sarees weighed from 500g to 1500g beautified with animal, floral,
geometrical, paisley, buttas and butis. The most popular sarees woven are Brocade, Chiffon
Jamdani, Jamdani, Jangla, Kora cut work, Resham buti, Satin border, Satin embossed,
Tanchoi and Tissue, whose cost ranged from Rs. 1700 to Rs. 3800/- depending on the
intricacy. On an average 1-4 sarees were produced on each loom per month. Some of the
problems faced by the weavers were power supply, hike in price, inferior quality, untimely
supply and scarcity of raw material, transportation, marketing and low wages.