Varanasi, India – Mohammed Ahmad Ansari has dedicated his life to the artistry of weaving Banarasi saris in the labyrinthine alleys of Varanasi, a city revered as the spiritual heart of India and the parliamentary seat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For 55 years, he has cherished the rhythmic clatter of handlooms, accompanied by the sacred sounds of temple bells and the evening calls to prayer in this ancient city, believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, with roots tracing back to 1800 BCE. Varanasi is a vibrant tapestry of Hindu-Muslim culture, and its saris reflect this rich heritage.
However, the sari business has recently faced significant challenges, with the latest hurdle stemming from escalating tensions between India and its neighboring country, Bangladesh. The diplomatic relationship between these once-close allies has soured dramatically since August of last year, when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi amidst a violent uprising in Dhaka against her government.
Bangladesh holds India partly accountable for its current political strife, particularly due to Modi’s support for Hasina during her tenure. Following her ousting, there have been troubling reports of violence against religious minorities, including Hindus, who were perceived as Hasina’s supporters. Additionally, Indian businesses operating in Bangladesh have faced boycotts and attacks, as calls for New Delhi to extradite Hasina for prosecution have intensified.
In April, Bangladesh implemented restrictions on imports from India, targeting essential goods such as yarn and rice. India responded on May 17 by barring imports of ready-made garments and processed foods from Bangladesh across land borders. Although Bangladesh can still export its saris to India, they must now navigate the more expensive and time-consuming sea route, complicating trade and driving up costs.
Banarasi saris are celebrated globally for their exquisite craftsmanship, featuring luxurious silk and intricate zari work crafted from fine gold and silver embroidery. The process to create a single sari can span up to six months, with prices reaching as high as 100,000 rupees ($1,130) or more, depending on design and material. “These saris are in high demand in Bangladesh during festivals and weddings, but the ban has led to a more than 50 percent drop in business,” Ansari lamented.
This decline is just the latest blow to an industry already battered by previous government policies, such as the controversial demonetization initiative, which abruptly invalidated high-value currency notes, along with rising energy costs and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, competition from cheaper, machine-made saris produced on power looms in places like Surat, Gujarat, has further eroded the market for traditional handwoven saris.
The cumulative effect of these pressures has forced many weavers out of the craft, with their ranks dwindling from approximately 400,000 to just 200,000 artisans today, as others seek alternative livelihoods, such as driving rickshaws.
Pawan Yadav, a 61-year-old wholesale sari trader in Varanasi, expressed his dismay at the current state of affairs. “We used to supply around 10,000 saris annually to Bangladesh, but everything has come to a halt,” he said, noting that he is owed 1.5 million rupees ($17,140) by clients across the border. “But the recovery seems impossible due to the political turmoil.”
India’s textile sector is a vital part of the economy, employing over 3.5 million people, with the sari industry alone valued at approximately 80,000 crore rupees ($9.01 billion), including around $300 million in exports. Despite their deep-rooted connection to the craft, Varanasi’s weavers and traders, who have historically supported Modi’s political endeavors, find themselves now waiting for the Prime Minister to broker a resolution to the trade impasse with Bangladesh.
In 2015, the Modi administration proclaimed August 7 as National Handloom Day, pledging to uplift handloom weavers by promoting domestic products. However, many artisans and traders remain skeptical, reporting that they have yet to see any substantial improvements. “India has a unique handloom craft which no country can compete with,” remarked Ramesh Menon, founder of Save the Loom, a social enterprise dedicated to revitalizing handloom weaving. “But without sufficient business or reliable income, many artisans have been forced to abandon the trade, and now it is difficult to even find a young weaver. The need of the hour is to reposition handloom as a product of luxury, not poverty.”
In stark contrast, the situation is markedly different in West Bengal, located about 610 kilometers (380 miles) from Varanasi along the Bangladesh border. The ban on sari imports has rejuvenated local cotton sari traders who had been losing ground to their Bangladeshi counterparts.
Tarak Nath Das, a seasoned cotton sari trader in Shantipur, West Bengal, has witnessed a resurgence in business after years of decline, especially with the upcoming Durga Puja festival. “The saris from Bangladesh had devoured at least 30 percent of our market, and the local industry was bleeding. We have slowly started to recapture our old markets as orders have started pouring in,” he shared, noting a 25 percent increase in sari sales compared to last year.
Shantipur, known as a hub for sari production, is home to over 100,000 weavers and traders, who specialize in a diverse range of handloom saris, including the well-regarded Shantipur cotton sari. Nearby regions like Hooghly and Murshidabad also boast a strong cotton sari industry, exporting products as far as Greece and Turkey.
Sanjay Karmakar, a 40-year-old wholesale trader in Nadia district, expressed optimism about the ban’s impact. “The local women prefer to buy Bangladeshi saris because they come in attractive packaging and the fabric is slightly superior to ours,” he acknowledged. However, the import restrictions have provided a much-needed boost to Indian weavers and traders, helping them to reclaim their market share and eliminate the presence of cheaper imitations.
Santanu Guha Thakurta, a fashion creator, echoed this sentiment, stating that Indian artisans stand to gain significantly from the import restrictions, which came at a pivotal moment just before the festival season, breathing new life into the industry.
