The Artisan
Ashfaq Ansari is a 4th-generation weaver in Varanasi. He collaborates with his father, Kamaluddin Ansari, a master weaver honored with the National Handloom and Sant Kabir Awards.
Ashfaq Ansari
Ashfaq Ansari
Ashfaq Ansari is a 4th-generation weaver in Varanasi. He collaborates with his father, Kamaluddin Ansari, a master weaver honored with the National Handloom and Sant Kabir Awards.
The Craft
Banarasi Brocade is a luxurious Indian weaving tradition famous for rich, supplementary-weft metallic floral patterns and intricate jaals woven into fine silk.
The Place
Cluster & Place: Kabirpur, Ramnagar (Varanasi) Located across the Ganges in Ramnagar, Kabirpur is a historic handloom hub near Ramnagar Fort. Embedded in Varanasi's craft heritage, its artisan households operate home-based pit looms (karkhanas). The cluster specializes in fine Banarasi brocades and master-level weaving techniques.
The Product
Banarasi Brocade Products Banarasi brocade products include iconic sarees like Jangla, Kadwa, Tanchoi, and Kattan silks. The craft also yields heavy bridal wear such as ornate lehengas, dupattas, and odhnas, along with silk yardage for sherwanis and blouses.
Ramnagar, Uttar PradeshOrigin
SilkMaterial
Jacquard weavingTechnique
National Handloom AwardRecognition
Story behind the Craft
Tracing back to ancient Kashi's kashikavastra textiles, Banarasi brocading evolved through the confluence of Indian handloom traditions and Mughal patronage. Persian masters fused intricate jaal floral networks with indigenous silk weaving, creating the legendary gold-and-silver zari brocade heritage alive today.
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