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Silk · Heritage weaves compared
Banarasi and Kanjivaram are the two heaviest silks in the Indian wedding wardrobe — and most brides we work with shortlist both. They are not interchangeable. The looms are different, the zari is different, the way the saree falls on the body is different. We commission both, from weaver clusters in Banaras and Kanchipuram, and we'll tell you honestly which one suits the occasion you're dressing for.
Subject A · Banaras (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh
Mughal-era brocade in Banaras, woven on pit looms.
Woven in Banaras (Varanasi) on pit looms for at least four centuries. Banarasi is a lightweight-to-mid-weight pure silk brocade — typically 450–700g for a six-and-a-half-yard saree — patterned with fine zari work in floral jaals, kalga, and bel motifs. The drape is fluid: a Banarasi falls in soft pleats. Best for sangeet, reception, and festive evenings.
Browse banarasi silk pieces →Subject B · Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
South Indian pit-loom silk, contrast-bordered, structural.
Woven in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, using mulberry silk and real silver-gilt zari. A Kanjivaram is heavier — typically 800g to 1.2kg — and the body, border, and pallu are often woven separately and joined by hand (the korvai technique). The result is structural rather than fluid. Best for the bridal day itself, the muhurtam, and traditional South Indian weddings.
Browse kanjivaram silk pieces →Side by side
Origin
Banarasi silk
Banaras (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh — pit-loom clusters.
Kanjivaram silk
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu — South Indian pit-loom clusters.
Fabric weight
Banarasi silk
450–700g for a six-and-a-half-yard saree. Drapes fluidly.
Kanjivaram silk
800g–1.2kg for the same yardage. Holds structure.
Best occasion
Banarasi silk
Sangeet, reception, festive evenings (Diwali, Karva Chauth).
Kanjivaram silk
The wedding day itself, the muhurtam, religious ceremonies.
Price range (AUD)
Banarasi silk
From $950 (Aratrikkaz starting price). Heirloom: $2,800+.
Kanjivaram silk
From $1,800. True bridal Kanjivaram with silver zari: $2,500+.
Lead time (Aratrikkaz)
Banarasi silk
6–8 weeks for a commissioned piece; 10–12 for bridal weight.
Kanjivaram silk
10–12 weeks for a true bridal Kanjivaram. We do not rush this.
Care
Banarasi silk
Dry-clean only. Store flat, refolded yearly to prevent fold lines.
Kanjivaram silk
Dry-clean only. Stays heavier in wear — needs muslin-wrapped storage and a flat shelf.
Weaver story
Banarasi silk
Banaras weavers work from designs handed down across four generations. We name them on the inside tag.
Kanjivaram silk
Kanchipuram weavers often work in cooperatives with GI-tag certification. Korvai is two weavers, one loom, joined seams.
Which to pick — Ketaki's verdict
If you are dressing for the wedding day itself — the muhurtam, the pheras, the South Indian temple ceremony — choose Kanjivaram. The weight is the point. It sits, it photographs, it does not crumple. If you are dressing for the reception, the sangeet, or for a Diwali that runs into a dinner, choose Banarasi. The lighter drape gives you movement and the brocade catches camera light. For most brides, the answer is both: a Kanjivaram for the ceremony and a Banarasi for the second-day events. If the budget allows one and the wedding is North Indian, default Banarasi. South Indian wedding, default Kanjivaram. Message us before you commit — we have asked this question with hundreds of brides and we are unsentimental about which one your week needs.
Still unsure? Message us on WhatsApp before you commit — we have asked this question with hundreds of brides and we are unsentimental about which one your week needs.
Compared elsewhere in the atelier