Banarasi Brocade
Traces of Brocade in the History
The traces of brocade can be see in the remote past eras. There are various sources that talk of the magnificence of the "golden cloth".
The earliest account of the present day Kimkhab or Zari brocade can be read in the Vedas. The Veads mention them as “HIRANYA” or “gold cloth".
Jataka tales and the early Pali text refer to some silk cloth ‘Koseyya’ embrodiered with gold .
Kautilya’s "Arthasastra" – written during the Mauryan period, Panini's Ashtadhayi, the Jain Acharanga Sutra and Valmiki's Ramayan make reference to the "Kauseya" or the present day Brocade.
The Patanjali, written during the Sunga period in 2nd B.C., mentions of Kasika textile that was woven in gold threads.
A Buddhist Sanskrit text refers to brocades as Kasikavastra, Kasi and Kasikamsu.
The testimony of Divyavadana calls them ‘Suvarna Pravara’. The term ‘Pravara’ means a scarf or a dupatta that is made in zari.
A Buddhist Sanskrit text refers to brocades as Kasikavastra, Kasi and Kasikamsu.
The testimony of Divyavadana calls them ‘Suvarna Pravara’. The term ‘Pravara’ means a scarf or a dupatta that is made in zari.
Banabhatta , 7th century B.C- the Harsha period, in his ‘Harshacharitra’ talks of scrafs decorated with bird and flower motifs, ‘Pushpapatta’- a flowered textile and ’Stavarka’ that was woven with golden thread and beaded with pearls.
The holy Koran gives an account of ‘stavarka’ which is an Arabic form which means an expensive textile that was used by heavenly beings.
The ‘Kimkhab’ was widely used in the 17th, 18th and the 19th century as implied by Moughal paintings and Rajasthani paintings.
Hemchandra in 'Dyvayassay' refers to Sauvarnapatta which means gold Brocade.
The ‘Vichitrapattam’ of the Manasollasa also refers to Brocades.
'Divyavastraparidhanah' also meant Brocade.
The holy Koran gives an account of ‘stavarka’ which is an Arabic form which means an expensive textile that was used by heavenly beings.
The ‘Kimkhab’ was widely used in the 17th, 18th and the 19th century as implied by Moughal paintings and Rajasthani paintings.
The ‘Pinja’ was another variety of Brocade of which it can't be ascertained whether it was woven in gold threads or not.
Hemchandra in 'Dyvayassay' refers to Sauvarnapatta which means gold Brocade.
The ‘Vichitrapattam’ of the Manasollasa also refers to Brocades.
'Divyavastraparidhanah' also meant Brocade.
- ‘Kautilya’s arthasastra’(Mauryan period) makes reference to the Kauseya or brocade.
- Even Panini’s Ashtadhayi, the Jain Acharanga Sutra and Valmikis Ramayan offers an important reference to Kauseya or Brocade.
- 2nd Century B.C- Patanjali gives an account of Kasika textile in the Sunga Period.
- Divyavadana (Gupta period)–350 A.D TO 500 A.D a Buddhist Sanskrit text makes reference to Kasikavastra, Kasi, Kasikamsu.
- In the testimony of Divyavadana , we can cite the term ‘Suvarna Pravara’.The term ‘Pravara’ meaning a scarf or a dupatta made in zari.
- Banabhatta , 7th century B.C(Harsha period) in his ‘Harshacharitra’ mentions about scrafs decorated with bird and flower motifs, ‘Pushpapatta’- a flowered textile (brocade),’Stavarka’woven with golden thread and beaded with pearls.
- The holy Koran gives an account of ‘stavarka’ in it’s Arabic form, as an expensive textile , used by the heavenly beings.
- The ‘Kimkhab’ has been widely used in the 17th, 18th and the 19th century as evidenced by late Moughal paintings.
- The ‘Pinja’ seems to be another variety of brocade but it cannot be ascertained whether gold thread was used in it or not.
- Hemchandra in Dyvyassay refers to Sauvarnapatta (gold brocade). The ‘Vichitrapattam’ of the manasollasa is referance to brocade. Divyavastraparidhanah meant brocade.
- From the Akbar period onwards we begin to get uninterrupted account of the zari work and brocades through the moughal paintings and rajasthani paintings.