Budget Hope In Varanasi Lanes: Can It Save The Fading Banarasi Handloom?

This report highlights the growing distress among the handloom weavers of Varanasi as they face escalating input costs and competition from power looms. An unidentified speaker notes that the price of silver used in Zari has surged from Rs 80,000 to Rs 3.6 lakhs per kg, stating, 'The raw materials should have a fixed rate of at least 6 months, whether it is silk or silk thread.' The weavers, known as Bunkers, are struggling with seasonal unemployment, high GST rates, and the lack of direct market access. As the Union Budget approaches, the community is calling for government intervention to stabilize raw material prices and provide immediate assistance to save the traditional craft of hand-woven Banarasi silk sarees. The tradition, passed down through generations, is currently under threat as rising costs make it difficult to maintain quality and compete with cheaper power-loom alternatives.