Banarasi Weaving Process

How Banarasi Sarees Are Made — The Weaving Process

Banarasi sarees are woven through an intricate, time-intensive process that blends centuries-old handloom techniques with fine silk, zari threads, and detailed pattern drafting. A single saree may take anywhere from 15 days to 6 months, depending on the complexity of motifs, weaving style, and zari work.

Designing the Motif (Naksha Drawing)

Before any weaving begins, the motifs are conceptualized on paper or digital grids. Traditionally, these designs were hand-drawn using naqsha patterns inspired by Mughal art—florals, jali patterns, shikargah scenes, vines, paisleys, and meenakari flourishes.

  • Floral butis (kalga, bel)

  • Jaal patterns

  • Mughal-inspired foliage

  • Geometric latticework

This design is later translated into punch cards.

Punch Cards & Loom Setup

Each motif is encoded into hundreds to thousands of punch cards that guide the loom.

  • Cards are punched manually

  • Cards are joined sequentially into a chain

  • This chain controls the lifting of warp threads

  • Enables patterns to repeat with precision

A complex brocade saree may require 2,000–6,000 punch cards.

Preparing the Silk Yarn

Raw mulberry silk is processed through:

  1. Reeling (extracting filaments)

  2. Degumming (removing sericin for softness)

  3. Dyeing (using acid or natural dyes)

  4. Drying & winding onto bobbins

The warp (tana) and weft (bana) are wound separately.

Warping (Tana Taiyaar Karna)

The warp threads are stretched across long beams.

  • Conducted outdoors or in narrow lanes

  • Requires precise alignment of thousands of threads

  • Determines saree length, width, border placement

A Banarasi saree typically has 5,600+ warp threads.

Loom Weaving Begins

The prepped silk is loaded onto the handloom or pit loom.
Weaving progresses horizontally, interlacing weft threads through warp using shuttles.

Types of weaving used:

Style Key Feature
Kadhua Motifs woven individually, durable, high-skill
Fekwa Motifs inserted as extra weft, lighter & faster
Tanchoi Silk-on-silk patterning without zari
Cutwork Jaal patterns via discontinuous weft
Jangla Heavy brocade vines across full saree

Zari Work (Brocade Weaving)

Zari threads—traditionally silver drawn over silk thread, sometimes gold-plated—are woven to form motifs that sit above the fabric plane, creating rich brocade texture.

  • Heavy metallic zari for bridal wear

  • Matte silk zari for contemporary designs

  • Multi-colour threads for meenakari

Broacade can be floral jaal, shikargah scenes, paisleys, or temple borders.

Meenakari (Colour Filling in Motifs)

In multi-coloured motifs, additional threads are used to fill patterns after the base motif is woven.

This technique adds:

  • Red & green over gold zari

  • Jewel-tone contrast

  • Mughal garden aesthetics

Meenakari requires separate shuttles for each colour.

Finishing & Polishing

After weaving, the saree undergoes:

  • Washing & starching

  • Stretching on wooden frames

  • Roller polishing for sheen

  • Tassel finishing for pallu

Luxury bridal sarees may also undergo kheench polishing to give a soft, luminous fall.

Time & Effort Involved

Saree Type Approx. Time to Weave
Simple silk Banarasi 10–15 days
Kadhua motifs 1–2 months
Heavy bridal brocade 3–6+ months

Multiple artisans work together:

  • Designer

  • Punch-card maker

  • Warp setter

  • Master weaver

  • Meenakari & finishing specialists

A Banarasi is not just woven—it is collaborated into existence.

Why Banarasi Weaving is Special

  • Ancient Mughal-era craft lineage

  • Fine silk with high yarn density

  • Deep cultural symbolism in Indian weddings

  • Timeless designs passed across generations

A true Banarasi saree is heritage you can drape.

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