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ORIGIN OF SAREE
The word ‘Saree’ is derived from the word ‘Sattika’ which means ‘a woman’s attire’. The origin of the drape dates back to the Vedic period of Ramayana in Indian cultural history. An ancient Hindu belief of ‘stitching any fabric would make it impure’ was the prime reason of how an unstitched form of clothing came into being and became famous over the centuries. Gradually, sarees imbibed the essence of vari-ous cultures in India and spoke a distinct fable of its own. It became an essential part of the womenfolk while truly inculcating the right balance of history and artistry. Today, this nine yard of free flowing fabric is a quintessential drape and a sign of novelty for the Indian women. They have a high magnitude of her-itage value so much so that they are considered to be the most precious heirlooms that are passed on from generations to the next within families.
ORIGIN OF BANARASI SAREES
Amongst ample enticing varieties of saree concepts in the length and breadth of India, a few select like the Kanjeevaram saree from Tamil Nadu, Bandhani saree from Gujarat, Paithani saree from Maharashtra and many more besides the noteworthy Banarasi Saree, breathes the silken opulence of Varanasi. Known as the ‘Indian Sun’, Banarasi Saree is made from one of the exotic variants of silk that emerged in the city of Varanasi situated on the holy ghats of the Ganges in days of yore. The spiritual capital of India, Varanasi, Banaras or Kashi is an abode to the finest weaving clusters and age-old handlooms in India. At the outset designed for royalty, the art is said to have reached its zenith during the Mughal empire braid-ing Mughal, Persian and Indian designs. These artisans who lived in Banaras at that time started crafting novel designs in silk brocade with the use of gold and silver zari threads for the Mughals. This craft could be distinguished by the presence of avant-garde Mughal inspired elements in their designs such as floral motifs, kalga, bel and jhallar.
BANARASI SAREE OF NEW INDIA
Banarasi fabric is a confluence of rich weaving skills and magic of the weavers. Its process of making is extremely special and earthed in Indian tradition. It is crafted using fine silk with brocades of gold and silver making the saree a nine-yard-long luminous delight.
The intricate work is rendered with metallic sheen, gold-silver motifs inspired by flora and fauna and many more patterns with Zari detailing. These sarees takes around 15-30 days to be hand crafted and contains around 5600 silk thread wires on an average. WeaverStory has beautiful captured this Mughal art in its designs and weaved a signature collection of Banarasi Sarees that is truly an ode to the skilled artisans who started this concept. They are available in luxurious fabrics such as Katan, Kora, Cotton, Georgette and Satin. Each saree is a masterpiece that is accentuated with a matching blouse to complete the look. Discover our heirloom worthy handloom Banarasi Sarees here - WeaverStory.
SIGNIFICANCE OF BANARASI SAREE IN INDIAN WEDDINGS
Since eons, silk has been used for auspicious rituals and traditions in the Hindu folklore. Because of this eminence, the Banarasi Sarees are undeniably considered to be an apt wedding attire for many brides mainly in Bengali and south Indian weddings. A Red and golden Banarasi saree is an all-time classic that exudes illume in every inch of it. They are so evergreen that they can never go out of fad. Red is considered to be the color of ‘suhaag’ in India and the word ‘Laal’ triggers many other important emotions. Red also represents the Hindu Goddess Durga who symbolizes inner strength, new beginnings and feminine power. According to Vedic astrology, planet Mars reflects marriages and the color of Mars is taken to be red. Universally too, red is a color of love and passion. Thus, this color is chosen to signify marriages, love, strength and fertility in India.
THE CLASSIC RED BANARASI SAREE
A quintessential red Banarasi designed for a bride is one of the most ornate works because of its illustri-ous sheen and rich chroma. The fine hand weaving and embroidery with intricate brocade designs and radiance of the colour red, provides the bride an unmatched elegance and aura on their D-day. You may choose a Banarasi saree in pure silk, organza, georgette, katan silk and even hussar silk. These sarees are also a good addition to the bridal trousseaus and otherwise for festive occasions.
BOLLYWOOD LOVE FOR BANARASI
A wardrobe staple for every bride, this craft’s elegant finesse has also appealed to Bollywood brides. Anushka Sharma chose to wear a Sabyasachi red and golden Banarasi for her wedding reception and teamed it with a red sindoor and bindi. Actresses like Rekha and Vidya Balan can be seen adorning graceful Banarasi Sarees in most of their events and can be credited to have made it an undying craze within Bollywood divas. Not just in Bollywood but also, Banarasi tapestry adorns almost every Indian woman’s wardrobe and is considered as a priced possession by them.
This archaic insight of craftsmanship has a very special room in the hearts of our skilled karigars and WeaverStory has been successful in supporting and empowering this undertaking. We have played around with the patterns, compositions and inspired the weavers to realize the true potential of the looms, thus creating numerous reinterpreted designs in Banarasi fabrics. Weaverstory houses a spectrum of magnificent heritage Banarasi Sarees just for you to indulge in. You may shop Red Sarees at WeaverStory .
