https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Silk_industry_in_VaranasiSilk industry in Varanasi - Revision history2026-08-28T21:30:55ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silk_industry_in_Varanasi&diff=535900&oldid=prevMrrajrumel: started some pg from scratch2025-10-10T05:52:55Z<p>started some pg from scratch</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}<br />
{{Short description|Overview of manufacturing of silk saris in Varanasi}}<br />
[[File:Saree on display at Dilli Haat.JPG|thumb|250px| traditional [[Banarasi sari]] with gold [[brocade]].]]<br />
'''[[Silk]] weaving''' is a manufacturing industry in [[Varanasi]]. Varanasi is known throughout India for its production of very fine silk and [[Banarasi sari]]s.<br />
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==Overview==<br />
Weaving is typically done within the household, and most weavers in Varanasi are [[Momin Ansari]] [[Islam|Muslims]].<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Re-framing Democracy and Agency in India: Interrogating Political Society|author=Gudavarthy, Ajay|date=2012|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=9780857283504|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Fq4eUi_3oMC|page=113|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> <br />
Many of Varanasi's Muslims belong to a [[Weaver (occupation)|weaver]] community that is known by the name of [[Ansari (nisbat)|Ansari]], which means "helper" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. For generations they have passed on their craft from father to son, hand-weaving silk on room-sized foot-powered looms. They are fashioned into [[Sari|Sarees]] worn only for special occasions; many Indian girls dream of wearing [[Banarasi sari|Varanasi silk Saree]] for their wedding day.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Raman |first1=Vasanthi |title=The Warp and the Weft: Community and Gender Identity Among the Weavers of Banaras |date=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136518003 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BIFpa2Oea3sC&pg=PT147 |language=en}}</ref>{{page needed|date=October 2019}}<br />
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Varanasi saris are adorned with intricate designs and zari embellishments making it popular during traditional functions and weddings. Earlier, the embroidery on sarees were often done with threads of pure gold. In 2009, weaver associations and cooperatives together secured [[Geographical indication|Geographical Indication]] (GI) rights for ‘Banaras Brocades and Sarees’.<ref name=toi>{{cite news|author=Singh, Binay|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Banarasi-silk-sarees-get-copyright-cover/articleshow/5024807.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829155022/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-09-18/india/28088590_1_gi-status-gi-registration-banaras-bunkar-samiti|url-status=live|archive-date=29 August 2012|title= Banarasi silk sarees get copyright cover|work=[[The Times of India]]|date= 18 September 2009|access-date=30 October 2012}}</ref> This silk is used in large part for the production of [[Banarasi sari]]s, which are a regional type of [[sari]] made from silk.<br />
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{{As of|2015|post=,}} there are roughly 40,000 weavers in Varanasi, down from 300,000.<ref name="Das2015">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Make-in-India-Reviving-textile-traditions-of-Varanasi/articleshow/48636657.cms|title=Make in India: Reviving textile traditions of Varanasi|first=Mohua|last=Das|date=22 August 2015|work=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=20 August 2019}}</ref> Some attribute the decline to lower demand of Saris or higher number of imported Saris.<ref>{{cite news |work=[[The Economist]]|date=10 January 2009|edition=U.S. print|page=40|title=India's traditional crafts: Looming extinction|url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2009/01/08/looming-extinction|accessdate=15 October 2019|url-access=registration}}</ref> Others suggest that power looms played a role.<ref name="Das2015"/><br />
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Varanasi has a high rate of [[Child labour in India|Child labour]] given the unorganised nature of small scale industries.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Narayan |first1=Ashok |editor1-last=Bekele |editor1-first=Assefa |editor2-last=Boyden |editor2-first=Jo |title=Combating Child Labour |date=1988 |publisher=International Labour Organization |location=Geneva |isbn=9789221063896 |page=153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S2_84EPEzJ0C&pg=PA153 |language=en |chapter=Child labour policies and programmes: The Indian experience}}</ref> According to [[Human Rights Watch]], it is common for children as young as 5 or 6 to begin working in industry because it is believed to be more efficient to teach them from a very young age rather than teaching an older child of 12 the trade.<ref>{{cite book |author=Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project |title=The Small Hands of Slavery: Bonded Child Labor in India |date=1996 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |isbn=9781564321725 |page=23 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NfX3sRoJ3rYC&pg=PA23 |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Silk in the Indian subcontinent]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Silk production]]<br />
[[Category:Economy of Varanasi]]<br />
[[Category:Indian weavers]]<br />
[[Category:Textile arts of India]]<br />
[[Category:Textile industry in India]]<br />
[[Category:Silk in India]]</div>Mrrajrumel