Banarasi Saree or Benarasi whatever spelling you prefer to use – this is one of the ethnic wear in India which represents elegance and epitome of beauty of Indian brides.
This is one of the fine variant of silk originating from the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. We have been using fine silk to weave these beautiful Banarasi saree, which are extremely popular across entire India.
Why is Banarasi Saree so popular in India?
Well, there are some interesting facts that tell why Banarasi Saree is so popular in India. The things date from Mahabharata and the Buddhist scriptures where Banarasi has been enlightened with glory. Banarasi silk sarees have their roots in the deep cultural history of India. Crafted with royalty, each Banarasi saree at that time was created with real gold and silver threads. It took the artisans about a year to make one single piece.
So it is one of the most dearest of all kind of saree material which women wants to possess. And not just India you will stories across the world about possessing a handcrafted pure Banarasi Saree. However, prior to that we will like you to share some of the unknown and lesser-known facts about Banarasi Saree that you must-know when you shop a Banarasi saree online.
FACT 1
When you look into the patterns of a Banarasi Saree, you see immense thread work moving through it. However, an ideal Banarasi saree contains 5600 thread wires.
FACT 2
Do you know that a single design of Banarasi Saree required hundreds of perforated cards to implement the unique design idea.
FACT 3
Hardly have you known that the Banarasi saree can be classified into various categories depending on the design
- Jangla
- Tanchoi
- Vaskat
- Cutwork
- Tissue
- Butidar
FACT 4
How will you recognize an original Banarasi saree? Well, that sounds tough but now you can do it easily with the help of GI (Geographical Indication) tag. This government marker protects customers and artisans.
FACT 5
True and original Banarasi and not the fusion ones is easy to recognize. How? Mainly Islamic motifs such as floral patterns, stylized leaves, and the use of jali work – these are the main traits of a Banarasi saree. So when you shop a Banarasi saree online look for these traits.
FACT 6
The time to complete a Banarasi saree is 15 days to 6 months depended on the thread work and style. If an artisan takes less time than this, then look for the loopholes.
FACT 7
With the increase in price of silver and gold, many artisans uses copper alloy plated in silver and gold. Beware of those fake saree work, an expert eye can easily recognize it.
FACT 8
You should always dry clean a saree, but if you choose to wash it at home then make sure to dip it in cold water a few times before hanging out to drip-dry. Else, detergent can eat up the whole saree work, look and glamour.
FACT 9
The price range of a genuine Banarasi saree can be Rs.3,000 to Rs.2,00,000 depending on the design and the intricacy of the work. However, with that said a saree with a decent amount of work would cost a minimum of Rs.8,000 to Rs.10,000.
FACT 10
Many do not know how to take care of their Banarasi saree at home. In general, wrap the saree in muslin cloth and store it away from sunlight or store it in a hanging position in your cupboard. Either way you must change the folds, every now and then, to keep it glamorous for years..
Hope you will enjoy the facts I have shared today and will take a note of then when you buy a Banarasi Saree online from any store. Till then be patient for my next blog.
Author Bio
Sumana is one of the fashion-buff who has cherished her fashion goal ever since a long time. Her passion took her to open an exclusive boutique called IndyVogue that introduces every woman to traditional Indian attires mainly sarees, skirts and salwar. She is no hardcore businesswomen, but a homemaker who keeps on giving fashion goals that will never fade.
