 The silk route to
India from China via Assam, has come a long way. It has a long and famous tradition of
weaving magnificently decorated brocaded textiles. Almost every women dreams of draping
herself with a Benaresi, Kanchipuram or Banglore silk brocade sari on her wedding day.
Above all the rest, Varanasi (Benaras) occupies the most ancient reputation for primary
brocade weaving. One of the oldest city in the world, its warren streets leads to its
temples and famous ghats. The weaving shops of the city are merely extensions of the
family home, where weavers are busy working at frame looms, often under a single light.The complicated system of heddles is lifted either by a young
assistant using a traditional naksha bandha (a complex arrangement of looped chords that
are hanging above and attached to the heddles), or by the Jacquard method of punched
cards.
 Designs vary
over the years, as one fashion succeeds another, but there is a continuous demand for
hunting scenes, flower and bird patterns and dancing women.
The IHE's silk collection boast of numerous utility
products like scarfs, ties, shirts, bed covers, Kurtas, ladies gowns etc., apart from
dress plain, bootidar, spun and brocade dress material. Tanjore Silk also features
prominently in the IHE collection.
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