Banarasi Sarees
Banarasi Sarees

Banarasi Sarees — GI Certified, Handwoven in Varanasi

Weave Finder

Find Your Perfect Banarasi Weave

Pick an occasion — we'll point you to the weave that suits it best.

Recommended Weave

Katan Silk

Rich, smooth, with a soft sheen — the classic choice for weddings and big rituals.

Shop Katan Silk sarees

GI Certified · Handwoven by 4th-generation artisans in Varanasi

Buyer's Guide

Asli vs Nakli — How to Identify a Real Banarasi Saree

Power-loom copies are sold online as "Banarasi" every day. Before you buy from anywhere — here is exactly how our weavers in Varanasi tell a real handwoven saree from a machine-made one.

1

The Back-Side Weave Check

Turn the saree over. On a real handloom Banarasi, the back looks almost identical to the front — slightly raised threads, a few visible loose ends from hand-weaving. On a power-loom copy, the back is flat, smooth, and printed-looking, with no thread irregularity at all.

Real: textured back
2

The Zari Rub Test

Gently rub the zari (gold/silver thread) between two fingers. Real zari, even modern "tested zari," has a slightly rough, metallic feel and won't shed colour. Fake zari (plastic-coated) feels slippery-smooth and sometimes leaves a gold or silver tint on your fingers.

Fake: shiny, sheds colour
3

The Burn Test (Small Thread Sample)

Pull one loose thread from the inner seam (never the main fabric) and burn it briefly. Pure silk curls, smells like burnt hair, and turns to fine ash. Polyester/art-silk melts into a hard plastic bead and smells like burnt plastic.

Real: ash, hair-like smell

Quick Comparison: Real Handloom vs Power-Loom Copy

What to Check Real Handwoven Banarasi Power-Loom / Machine Copy
Weaving time 15–45 days per saree, by hand on a pit loom A few hours on a power loom
Pattern repeat Tiny natural irregularities between motifs Every motif is perfectly identical
Price (Katan/Kora silk) Usually ₹25,000 and above for genuine zari work Often under ₹8,000 — too cheap for real silk + zari
Weaver's mark Small thread knot or mark woven in by the karigar No weaver's mark — mass produced
GI Tag Genuine sellers can show a valid GI registration number No GI tag, or a printed sticker with no real registration

Every Panaya saree is handwoven by 4th-generation karigars in Varanasi and is GI certified. If you'd like, we're happy to walk you through these checks over a video call before you buy.

Katan Silk Comparison Section — Panaya
Choosing the Right Silk

Katan, Georgette, Organza or Tissue — which silk is actually right for you?

Every silk drapes, shines and ages differently. Here's an honest, side-by-side look — so you know exactly what you're buying before you add to cart.

Georgette
Synthetic or semi-synthetic crepe
Weight
Light, slightly grainy texture
Shine
Matte, low sheen
Drape
Soft, flowy, clingy fall
Best For
Parties, day functions, travel
Durability
2–4 years of regular wear
Not Ideal for Weddings
Organza
Sheer, crisp-finish silk blend
Weight
Very light, sheer, crisp
Shine
Glassy, translucent shimmer
Drape
Stiff, holds its shape
Best For
Summer events, receptions
Durability
Delicate — snags easily
Good, Not Heirloom Grade
Tissue Silk
Fine silk with metallic zari base
Weight
Featherlight, papery feel
Shine
Metallic, glittering shine
Drape
Airy, floats rather than falls
Best For
Engagements, cocktail evenings
Durability
Needs careful, gentle handling
Delicate Everyday Wear

Every Panaya Katan Silk saree is GI Tagged and Silk Mark certified — verified pure, verified Varanasi.

GI CERTIFIED HANDLOOM · DIRECT FROM VARANASI

We Deliver Banarasi Sarees Across India

Our weavers work from Varanasi, but our sarees travel everywhere. Pick your city below and shop pure Katan, Kora, Tissue and Organza silk Banarasi sarees — packed with care and shipped right to your door.

Don't see your city? We ship across all of India.

SHOP BANARASI SAREES
Where Your Saree Is Born

The Lanes of Varanasi Behind Every Panaya Saree

Your saree is not made in a factory. It is made in a narrow lane, on a hand loom, by a family that has been weaving for generations. Here are the actual mohallas (neighbourhoods) where our karigars live and work.

Lallapura

Known for: Katan silk & zari brocade weaving

One of the oldest weaving lanes in Varanasi. Our Katan silk sarees with heavy zari work come from a small group of looms here, run by families who have woven for over four generations.

"Aapki saree iss gali se aayi hai."

Madanpura

Known for: Tissue silk & fine Jaal patterns

A dense weaving neighbourhood where most homes still have a pit loom in the front room. Our tissue silk and intricate Jaal-pattern sarees are woven here, often taking over a month per piece.

"Aapki saree iss gali se aayi hai."

Alaipura

Known for: Kadwa booti & Tanchoi weaving

An old, historic weaving lane known for the Kadwa technique, where each motif is woven separately by hand instead of being repeated mechanically. Our Kora silk sarees with Kadwa booti work come from here.

"Aapki saree iss gali se aayi hai."

Jaitpura

Known for: Jamdani & brocade weaving

One of the oldest and most historic weaving zones in Varanasi, traditionally known for fine Jamdani and brocade work. Several of our heavier, festive-occasion sarees are woven by families settled in this lane.

"Aapki saree iss gali se aayi hai."

We work directly with karigars in these mohallas — no middlemen, no anonymous factories. When you buy from Panaya, you are buying directly from the family that wove it.

Weaving Praise - Here's Why They Love Us:

Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Ritika Sharma Verified
Absolutely stunning zari work!

Wore this Katan silk saree at my cousin's wedding and got so many compliments. The zari work is so rich, you can tell it's real handloom 🙏

Blue Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Ananya Iyer Verified
Worth every rupee

Was skeptical buying a saree online but Panaya proved me wrong. The fabric quality and finishing is bridal-level. Delivered on time too!

Maroon Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Neha Gupta Verified
My mother-in-law was so impressed

Gifted this to my MIL for Karva Chauth. She said it feels exactly like the ones she used to get from Varanasi years ago. Pure silk feel ❤️

Yellow Kora Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Priya Menon Verified
Perfect for festive season

Wore this for Onam celebrations, everyone kept asking where I bought it from! Colours are exactly like the pictures, no surprises.

Wine Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Simran Kaur Verified
GI certification made me trust them

Loved that they mention GI certification clearly. Got my saree checked by a local weaver too, he confirmed it's genuine Banarasi. Highly recommend!

Peacock Blue Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Kavita Reddy Verified
Second purchase already!

Bought my first saree 3 months back and loved it so much I ordered another one. Packaging is premium and customer support replies fast on WhatsApp.

Rani Pink Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Deepika Nair Verified
Felt like a queen 👑

This rani pink saree is drop dead gorgeous in person. The drape falls beautifully and the pallu work is so detailed. Worth the price!

Pista Green Katan Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Meera Joshi Verified
Beautiful pastel shade

Wanted a subtle color for an evening reception and this pista green was perfect. Lightweight yet rich looking, exactly what I wanted.

Purple Tissue Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Anjali Verma Verified
Tissue silk is so lightweight

Wasn't sure how a tissue silk saree would drape but I'm so pleasantly surprised. Light on the body but rich in look, perfect for summer weddings.

Powder Blue Kora Silk Saree customer
★★★★★
Shreya Kapoor Verified
Exceeded my expectations

Ordered based on pictures and it looked even better in real life. The booti work is so fine and neat. Will definitely order more for my sisters!