SHIKARGAH SAREES AND DUPATTAS
With zari vines, birds, animals, flora and fauna and scrolling jungle scenes, Shikargah is a unique Banarasi handloom speciality. It’s hard not to be amazed by the intricacy of weaves and the exquisite craftsmanship on display in this fabulous collection! “Shikargah” designs are human or animal images especially in hunting postures very intrinsically woven into the fabric. An artistic marvel, that you will truly appreciate and wear with pride.
Identified by its iconic hunting scenes depicting men and animals, a shikargah motif requires a time- and labour-intensive weaving process. Mostly found on a Banarasi sari, the motif is brought to life in festive and metallic colours alike, and can take an artisan up to four months to weave considering its intricate pattern.
Shikargah has a very fine balance between the motif and the blank spaces. The optics are also that of a very rich and heavy brocade, and the pattern is very evenly distributed with full coverage and a well-balanced design that flatters the Banarasi weave. The colour palette is usually festive, with metallic shades added in recent times.
With the recent resurgence of handloom weaves in India, shikargah is now in great demand. It’s important that necessary design interventions are continually made by artisan and design communities, so that the product remains contemporary and desirable for buyers and patrons.
The hunting scenes that is the very essence of Shikargah sarees paying tribute to the royal hunting hobby of the medieval kings, the self-weave hunting design with mounted zari across the border and pallu and in between the saree is a sight worth seeing and a drape worth experiencing.