Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Buy Banarasi Silk Sarees Online
Authentic handloom Banarasi silks from the lanes of Varanasi — Kaduwa, Meenakari, Rangkaat, Kora tissue and Mushroo weaves, sourced directly from the families who made them. Shipped across India and worldwide.
Banarasi · Katan Silk
Red Pure Katan Silk Kaduwa Banarasi Saree with Multi Meena Vine
Banarasi · Kora Silk Tissue
Kora Silk Tissue Pastel Rangkaat Banarasi with Kaduwa Meenakari Zari
Banarasi · Kora Silk
Golden Yellow Kora Silk Banarasi Saree with Katan Silk Kaduwa Meenakari Pallu
Banarasi · Kora Silk Tissue
Multicolour Kora Silk Tissue Rangkaat Banarasi Saree with Katan Silk Border
Banarasi · Katan Silk
Royal Blue Ektara Katan Silk Banarasi Saree with Multi-Meenakari Buti
Banarasi · Katan Silk
Peacock Teal Dual-Colour Kaduwa Banarasi Saree with Horse Motifs
Banarasi · Mushroo Silk
Purple Mushroo Silk Houndstooth
Banarasi · Katan Silk
Pure Katan Silk Rangkaat Banarasi Saree
Banarasi · Silk
Half & Half Hand Tie-Dye Shibori Silk Banarasi Saree
Banarasi · Silk
White & Gold Locked Kaduwa Weave Silk Banarasi Saree
Banarasi · Ektara Silk
Ektara Silk Banarasi Saree with All-Over Floral Jaal
Banarasi · Soft Silk Brocade
Red Banarasi Soft Silk Brocade Saree with Muniya Border
Banarasi · Kora Silk
Rose Gold Tissue Kora Silk Banarasi Saree
Banarasi · Mushroo Silk
Royal Purple Mushroo Silk Banarasi Saree
Banarasi · Mushroo Silk
Pearl Mushroo Silk Banarasi Saree with Scallop Border
Banarasi · Mushroo Silk
Bottle Green Mushroo Silk Banarasi — Kashi Assi 80 Ghat
Banarasi · Mushroo Silk
Peacock Green Mushroo Silk Banarasi — Kashi Assi 80 Ghat
Banarasi · Linen
Beige Linen Banarasi Saree with Windowpane Check
About the craft
Banarasi silk is India's most celebrated brocade tradition, woven in and around Varanasi for centuries and protected today by a Geographical Indication tag. The finest pieces are woven in Katan silk with pure zari, and the technique tells you the grade: in a Kaduwa (kadhua) weave every motif is worked with its own shuttle and locked into the warp, leaving no loose threads on the reverse; Meenakari adds enamel-like coloured silk detail inside the zari motifs; and Rangkaat — the rarest of all — builds the body itself out of separately woven bands of colour.
A single handloom Banarasi can take from several weeks to several months on a pit loom, depending on the density of the brocade. That time is exactly what powerloom imitations remove — along with the drape, the durability, and the livelihood of the weaver. Every Banarasi saree at Sohum Sutras is sourced personally by Kiran Sawhney, directly from master-weaver families in Varanasi.
Banarasi questions, answered
How can I tell a genuine Banarasi silk saree from an imitation?
Turn the saree over. On a genuine handloom Banarasi, the reverse of the brocade shows the workings of the weave — floats of silk and zari between motifs (or, in a Kaduwa weave, a clean back because each motif is locked individually). Powerloom and printed imitations have a suspiciously perfect, flat reverse. Real zari also has a metallic weight and does not look plasticky. Banarasi brocades and sarees hold a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, and every Banarasi at Sohum Sutras is sourced directly from weaver families in Varanasi — no powerloom substitutes.
What is the difference between Kaduwa and cutwork Banarasi?
In the Kaduwa (kadhua) technique, each motif is woven separately with its own shuttle and locked against the warp, so there are no loose threads on the reverse — it is slower, more durable, and the mark of the finest Banarasi weaving. In cutwork, the supplementary weft runs across the full width and the excess between motifs is cut away afterwards, leaving trimmed floats on the back. Kaduwa pieces cost more because they can take weeks longer on the loom.
What does a real handloom Banarasi saree cost?
Genuine handloom Banarasi sarees generally start around ₹10,000 and rise with the fineness of the silk, the purity of the zari, and the technique — Kaduwa, Meenakari, and Rangkaat pieces sit at the top of the range because of the loom time involved. Anything dramatically cheaper is almost certainly powerloom.
Do you ship Banarasi sarees internationally — to the USA, UK, Europe, Canada or Australia?
Yes — Sohum Sutras ships worldwide from India for a flat ₹5,000 per order, with delivery in 10–15 business days — including across Europe, to France, Switzerland and Germany. Customs or import duties, where applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility. See our international shipping page for details, or message Kiran on WhatsApp at +91-9810530027 to arrange an international order.
How should I care for a Banarasi silk saree?
Dry clean only. Store it folded in soft muslin, away from direct sunlight and moisture, and refold along different lines a couple of times a year so the zari does not crack at the creases. Cared for this way, a handloom Banarasi lasts generations.