Banarasi sarees, as the name suggests, are made at Banaras or Varanasi. These saris are historically considered to be among the best and most sought-after in India. They are famous for their fine silk material, the gold and silver brocade, zari or embroidery work on them. The intricate work on them makes these sarees very heavy to drape and carry. Banarasi sarees are characterized by the Mughal-inspired designs on them, as also their delicately patterned floral motifs of kalga and bel on their outer border. Other characteristics include filled work all over the body of the saree, metallic effects on the body or Pallu and a net-like pattern called jal. Owing to their rich work, they are most ideal for bridal wear or as part of bridal trousseau. These sarees usually take anywhere between 15 days and six months to create, depending on the work done on them. Today, mechanized pattern-making has resulted in huge losses for the Benarasi saree industry as a whole. The material used today is also compromised and the manufacturers often use synthetic silks, making these duplicates much more affordable. Banarasi sarees come in 4 varieties, namely, pure silk or Katan, Organza or Kora with zari, Georgette and Shattir. The chemical dyes used in them, however, caused an environmental concern, which in turn polluted the Ganges. Hence, the current effort is to use natural dyes in the manufa
