Banaras

Banaras — known formally as Varanasi — is the spiritual and textile heart of north India. It is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and it has been weaving silk for trade as far as the Mediterranean since at least the 11th century. The Mughal period perfected the craft; modern Banarasi weaving inherits that perfection and adapts it for the contemporary wedding.

A real Banarasi saree begins as a drawing — a naksha — etched into card by a master designer. The pattern is translated to the loom via jacquard cards, and the weaver works for days, sometimes weeks, on the pallu alone. The zari is real silver-gilt thread, drawn fine enough to weave into the silk. A heavy bridal Banarasi can carry kilograms of silver in the pallu and border.

The Naqshbandi cluster we work with has been weaving for four generations. The current master, who learned from his father, is teaching his own son the same kadhua technique that his great-grandfather practised. We visit twice a year. We discuss colour at length. We argue, sometimes, about whether a contemporary green is true to the heritage palette or a departure from it. He is usually right.

Every Banarasi we ship carries a small handwritten card from the cluster — the weaver's name, the weeks of work, the date the saree came off the loom. It is the smallest thing and it matters.