The weaving of Banarasi

Banarasi. The quintessential wedding trousseau in a large part of India. Made in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, these are amongst the finest silk sarees made in India. These feature intricate Mughal motifs and heavy zari work. They can be made in handlooms or in power looms. A handloom made saree typically takes about 3 weeks to make, whereas power looms churn out a saree a day. Naturally, handloom banarasi's are way more expensive than the power loom ones. Here we will explore the making of banarasi by both methods. The unfortunate part is that such gorgeous materials are woven in poorly lit, dingy, squalid conditions.

1) First, the design is made on a graph paper.

2) Next, an iron hole puncher such as the one shown here is taken.

3) This puncher is used to punch holes into cards according to the design on the graph

4) Next, the silk and zari threads that will be used to weave the saree are coiled around  a large cylindrical structure. The video shows the coiling. In case the video doesn't play in the blog, click on the youtube link below it.

The threads that are used

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA_SQT8Bfbs&feature=youtu.be

5) Up to here the process is common for both handloom and powerloom. These punched cards and these threads are now attached to the respective looms and the weaving begins.

First we show  the powerlooms. Look how the punched cards are attached to the top of the loom through which the threads are passed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0B9gDm4fmg&feature=youtu.be

6) The handloom weaving is infinitely more complex and tedious. 

The video shows how banarasi is woven in handloom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyZA2AYCldA&feature=youtu.be

7) The finished sarees.

Dokra art of Bastar

Dokra art always fascinated me. I would go to the handicrafts fair and keep buying dokra ornaments. This time round, I got to visit a village in Chattisgarh where they make dokra. A rough clay model is first made from fine clay. Then a mixture of beeswax is applied on it.The wax is carved and designed. The wax is black in colour. Then another layer of clay is applied and dried. Then little clay cups filled with scraps of non ferrous material are attached to the base of the figures, with a hole for the wax to go out. Then comes the oven baking part. The wax melts away and the metal takes its place. This is why it is called the lost wax process. The outer baked clay is then broken and the metal polished t give it the final form. This art is practised in central India, West Bengal and Orissa.

1. Making the rough clay figurine

2.  Putting them out to dry

3.  Sun dried clay figures

4. The Man and the Woman- wearing traditional headdresses

5. Cutting thin strips of wax

6. Putting the strips of wax on the dried clay figures

7.  Putting metal scraps in little earthen bowls. These bowls will be attached to the base of the clay figures, which have been covered in another layer of clay.

8. The dried clay figures with the metal filled bowl attached at the bottom are put into the furnace..

9. Breaking the baked clay mould to reveal the metal figure inside.

10. The dokra figures out of their clay moulds.

11. Dokra figures in their final polished form